The first competition of the domestic swim season is officially in the books following athletes hitting the pool at the Camana Bay Aquatic Centre this past weekend.
The ‘2023 Fall Kick-Off’ opening swim meet, held 21-22 Oct., welcomed five clubs – Stingray Swim Club, Brac Barracudas, Camana Bay Aquatic Club, Seven Mile Swimmers and visiting Jamaican team, Tornados Swim Club.
However, no winners were decided at the event, which also included Special Olympics athletes, after unfavourable weather conditions caused the competition to end prematurely.
However, swimmer Connor Macdonald, who represents CBAC and is coming off of the CAC Games held earlier this year, noted that despite the shortened meet, it was good to compete, and he is looking forward to the next one.
“I’m very pumped to get some fast times,” he told the Compass at the weekend meet, after taking a pair of podium places on day one. “I’m looking forward to a bunch of competitions later in the year and representing Cayman.”
Macdonald added that the addition of the Tornados Swim Club and Brac Barracudas improved the event.
“This just makes the meets more fun, getting to race different people every time. It’s so nice to connect with other Caribbean countries as well,” he said.
For Stingray Swim Club head coach Johanna Gustafsdottir, it is also important for the athletes to have fun. She continues to focus on the happiness of her young team, while also encouraging their competitive spirit, which they displayed over the weekend.
“If they are having fun, that’s all that matters,” she said. “This meet is just a practice for me, but we are seeing a lot of fast times, for it being the first meet. They are doing best times in sprints, which at this stage, they shouldn’t be doing. So, it’s a good start for the season and it’s a good confidence booster for them.”
The Cayman Islands Aquatic Sports Association’s next swim meet will be the Mike Lockwood Memorial at the Lions Aquatic Centre being held from 3-4 Nov.
Related Videos
