In the Winter Championships being held in Florida at the Plantation Aquatic Complex, Jamaicans swimming for four (4) different teams, had a fantastic day with fifteen swims in the Friday evening finals. The top performers were Alia Atkinson (Fort Lauderdale Swim Team), Brad Hamilton (Jamaica National Squad) and Robert Chen (Tornadoes Swim Club) who struck Gold.

The day’s top performer was Alia Atkinson who mined two (2) Gold’s and one (1) silver for her Fort Lauderdale Swim Team. Her first gold came in the 100 yard Breaststroke in a very fast 1:09.69. In the same event, Tornadoes’ Tamari Farquharson placed eight with a 2A time of 1:17.98. Atkinson’s second gold came in the 50 yard Butterfly as she swam 28.23 to win the event. Although Atkinson placed second in the 100 yard Individual Medley behind Pine Crest’s Brooke Atkinson (1:02.47), her time of 1:02.81 was superb as it placed her in the top 16 times done in America for this event.

Brad Hamilton swimming for the Jamaica National Squad, won gold in the 11-12 50 Yard Butterfly with a 4A time of 27.45, silver in the 100 yard Individual Medley 1:02.88 both very fast 4A times. Hamilton also placed seventh in the 200 yard Freestyle swimming 2:02.15. 

Tornadoes Swim Club’s Robert Chen won the 11-12 100 yard Breastroke swimming 1:12.06 (3A) ahead of Space Coast Swim Club’s Jake Frazier who swam 1:12.19.

Dominic Lee (Jamaica National Swim Squad) and Allison Bardowell (Fort Lauderdale Swim Team) both swam to forth and tenth place finishes in their two events. Bardowell placed forth in the 15-16 200 yard Freestyle (1:57.31) and tenth in the 100 yard Butterfly (1:01.68). Lee’s forth place finish came in the 15-16 200 yard Breaststroke 2:19.74) while placing tenth in the 100 yard Butterfly (58.10).

The swimmers return to the pool on Saturday.

Othe results:

Mens Open 200 Y Breaststroke  - Jason James – National Squad             10^th            2:23.33

Boys 13-14 200 Yard Breaststroke Dave Smith - Jamaica                        4^th            2:29.48

Women Open 400 Yard IM - Melissa Bardowell - FLST               5^th             5:13.76

Men Open 100 Yard Butterfly – Jevon Atkinson – Comets ST            8^th             55.87

December 7th 2001