Black Sands Swim Squad delivered an exceptional series of performances in December, highlighted by national records, podium finishes, and strong overall team results at two major regional competitions.
BASA Short Course National Championships, Dec. 2–7
Rising star Kione Deshong produced a standout performance at the BASA Short Course National Championships, securing an impressive 11 medals:
- 6 Gold
- 3 Silver
- 2 Bronze
While winning 11 medals, Deshong also set a record-breaking time in the 100 Individual Medley, breaking the St. Vincent and the Grenadines national record. The previous record of 1:07.79, held by Matthew Ballah, was lowered to 1:06.89.
ASATT Invitational, Dec. 11-14
Black Sands Swim Squad was represented by Kione Deshong, Kennice Greene, Eltonique Leonard, and Matthew Ballah at the ASATT Invitational, competing against 47 teams from across the region. The squad finished an excellent 10th overall.
Deshong continued his remarkable form:
- 4 gold, 3 silver, 1 bronze
- 2nd overall trophy in his age group
- 3 National Records Broken:
- 50 Freestyle: 26.51 (previously 26.70, Shane Cadogan)
- 100 Freestyle: 59.49 (previously 1:01.04, Nicolas Silvestre)
- 50 Backstroke: 31.25 (previously 32.70, Kione Deshong)
Greene also delivered an outstanding meet:
- 3 Gold, 2 Silver, 1 Bronze
- 2nd Overall Trophy in her age group
- 4 National Records Broken (all previously held by herself):
- 100 Freestyle: 1:00.45 (previously 1:00.56)
- 50 Backstroke: 32.14 (previously 32.80)
- 100 Backstroke: 1:11.42 (previously 1:11.82)
- 200 Individual Medley: 2:38.69 (previously 2:41.08)
Ballah added to the team’s success with:
- 1 Gold and 1 bronze
- A new national record in the 100 backstroke, clocking 1:01.16, surpassing the previous record of 1:02.11 held by Brandon George.
Leonard rounded out the medal haul with:
- 1 silver and 3 bronze medals
Head Coach Kyle Dougan expressed his delight with the team’s performances, stating that he was “very pleased, extremely proud, and encouraged by the results achieved across both competitions”.He also congratulated Blue Marlins Swim Club on their strong performances at the meets, finishing 13th overall. He expressed his gratitude to the BSSS team’s support, consisting of Assistant Coach Anwar Medjahed, Chaperone Fiana McMillan and Team Medic Dr. Rohan Deshong.