SHAUNE FRASER IMPRESSES IN FLORIDA

July 20, 2005

The young Caymanian phenomenon Shaune Fraser continues to impress with a brilliant performance at the recent Bolles NIKE Invitational held from June 30 July 30. A 2004 Olympian, representing the Cayman Islands in the 200 freestyle, Fraser has now taken on additional events to underline his great talents. Fraser took four gold medals, one silver and a bronze in a final tune up for this months World Championships to be held in Montreal. He was also named recently one of the top 16 swimmers in his age group as seen by his rankings in the following events Shaune Fraser (15-16 Boys):

1st in the 400 I.M.
2nd in the 200 Free
2nd in the 500 Free
3rd in the 1000 Free
3rd in the 200 Fly
3rd in the 200 I.M.
11th in the 100 Free

In what was perhaps his best performance of the meet, Fraser led from wire to wire in taking the 200 metre butterfly in a smart 2:03.67, almost 4 seconds faster than the time that he set in winning the event at this years CARIFTA games. In the process he broke Jeff Somensatto's (Auburn ) 2000 record of 2:03.78. It was all Fraser from the gun as he led teammate Yi Khy Saw at the half way mark, 59.80 to 1:01.75. He also had the fastest second half of the field posting 1:03.87 for one of swimming s most gruelling events.

Showing his opposition a clean pair of heels seemed to be a Fraser trademark in all the victories that he secured. In his first event of the competition, the 200 metre freestyle Shaune led 55.33 to teammate John Long s 56.52 .After which he uncorked a sub minute last 100 of 59.53 that left Long unable to keep up and ending up third 1:59.39 behind Fraser in 1:54.86, and Bryce Robertson 1:57.29 who surged past a fading Long. The 100 metre butterfly saw Fraser 57.41 stopping the clock in 57.41 almost 2 seconds ahead of teammate Omar Pinzon 59.38.

The 400 Individual Medley saw another unchallenged Fraser win with a clocking of 4:33.64 just missing the 2000 record of Kirk Hampleman (Auburn) 4:33.25.Zach Rose of BYST Ga was a distant second in his 4:38.26 effort. Unfortunately not everything went the way of the swimmer from the British protectorate as he met his Waterloo in the 200 I.M. in the form of his dismissed rival in the 400 I.M. Mr Zach Rose. Rose turned the tables on Fraser by taking a page out of Shaune s rapidly increasing Book of Swimming 101 by taking charge of the race from the very start. The splits at the century were Rose 1:02.21 to Fraser 1:03.70 and Bolles swimmer Bryce Robertson lurking in 1:04.07 though Fraser trimmed down the differential on the next 100 metres Fraser 1:10.56 to Rose 1:10.49 the damage was already done and Rose took top honours in 2:12.70 with Fraser second in 2:14.26 and the dogged Robertson third 2:14.46 who incidentally out split them both with a back half of 1:10.39. Seemingly the word got out about the strategy of swimming against Fraser in the 400 free as swimmers Chris George Bolles and Nick Brittis took the race out for the first 200 metres with splits of 2:08.39 and 2:07.71 respectively with Fraser shadowing them in 2:08.98 .But when the sprint to the end progressed Brittis could not maintain the pace and was passed by George and struggled to hold his advantage over the current Carifta Champion in the event. When the tale of the tape was read it read George in pole position in 4:13.78, Brittis 4:15.25 and a fast finishing Fraser 4:15.42
In the 100 metre freestyle he re-established his dominance with a crushing 2 second win. He set a time of 52.23 just off his personal best of 52.08 set at this year s CARIFTA and putting clear water between second placed teammate Bobby Guntoro 54.95.

Submitted by Tony Morrison