Matthew Stewart, Alford Green and Gillian Stewart combined to break eight records as the Tornadoes Swim Club won the first ASAJ Age Group Gold Swimming Challenge held at the National Stadium Pool over the weekend.

Matthew Stewart (Tornadoes Swim Club) swam a controlled race to break Kevin Thompson’s four year old 800 Metre Freestyle National Senior, 13-14 All Comers Age Group and National Age Group records. After posting a 1:04 for the first 100 Metres, Stewart swam a consistent 1:13 for the next six hundred metres. Turning for the final 100 metres, he had a comfortable lead and pulled away to touch in a record time of 9:33.41. Dave Smith (Tornadoes) finished second in 9:59.61.

Y-Speedos Alford Green, swimming for the final time in the 9-10 Age Group, left his mark by shattering four records set by Tshaka Douglas (Y-Speedos) in 1990. His 100 Metre Freestyle swim of 1:04.41 was impressive, as Green bettered his personal best time by two seconds and the All Comers Age Group and National Age Group record time of 1:05.76 by over a second. Green also broke the 50 Meter Freestyle All Comers Age Group and National Age Group records, pulling away from the field to win in a record time of 29.40, bettering the old record of 29.46. Second was Royal Swim Club’s Ryan Latibeaudire (32.37).

Tornadoes Swim Club’s Gillian Stewart, who was also swimming in the 9-10 Age Group for the last time bettered Allison Bardowell’s 50 Metre Butterfly National Age Group Record set in 1997. Stewart lead for the start and when she touched in 35.00, she was three body lengths ahead of her teammate Natasha Moodie (39.76) and .24 seconds ahead of the record.

With a number of Y-Speedos away competing in Panama, the Tornadoes Swim Club led the Points standings from the first dive. At the end of the last event, the Tornadoes had amassed 1923 points to easily win the 2001 Age Group Gold Challenge Trophy. Second was the Y-Speedos (748) with the Marlins Swim Club third with 329.

December 16, 2001