Seven swimmers from St Vincent’s Black Sands Swim Squad competed in Trinidad’s annual national invitational swim meet from Dec. 9 to 12.
The swimmers are: Shné, Alex and Jamie Joachim, Paige and Shane Cadogan, Dillon Gooding and Cruz Halbich.
Shné Joachim led the way, swimming another record-breaking race in the 50 meters, breaststroke winning the gold medal and smashing the Trinidad national record by over one second.
She finished the four days of racing with four gold medals and one silver. Her younger brother, Alex, also swam himself to the medal podium, taking number one spot with a gold medal in the 800 meters freestyle. Six personal best times were achieved by Alex during the competition.
The youngest Joachim, Jamie, demonstrated that she will soon be another of St Vincent’s swimming stars.
Jamie didn’t medal at the event but managed to swim five personal best times, dropping her times by over nine seconds in some of her events.
Siblings Paige and Shane Cadogan also put in personal best and medal-winning swims.
Paige, swimming a total of five personal best times, and older brother, Shane swam himself to the medal podium, bringing home one silver and one bronze medal in both the 50 and 100 meter breaststroke.
King of long distance swimming, Cruz Halbich battled his way to a bronze medal in the 1,500 meter freestyle and managed a eight personal best swims and Dillon Gooding swam six personal best times and demonstrated that he will be one of St Vincent’s medal contenders when competing in 2016.
Coach Kyle Dougan said: “All the swimmers should feel satisfied with their performances in Trinidad. They competed well against some of the best swimmers in the Caribbean region and also against some visiting age group swimmers from the USA. St Vincent should feel proud of all of their efforts and performances.”
The last competition for the St Vincent swimmers will be the Black Sands Invitational Sprint Meet, which will be held Dec. 18 and 19 at the Shrewsbury Aquatic Centre in Rathomill.
Something is seriously wrong with us.
A heroine and nobody comments.
A rare piece of good news and nobody comments.
A model youth and nobody comments.
A success story and nobody has anything to say.
Not a word of encouragement from any quarter. Clearly you do not need it, but I am sure it would be nice.
Silence is not golden; not here.
Shne you make us proud. You and Alex and Jamie and Dillon and Shane and Cruz and Paige.
I hope your Dad sticks with the sport when you and Alex outgrow it