jamaican swimmers shine at florida swim meet

May 4, 2004…..Jamaica’s National Team Swimmers Brad Hamilton and Ramon Walton left and indelible mark at the 2004 Kent B. Holdren Memorial Swim Meet which ended on Sunday. Hamilton easily topped the 13-14 Age Group with 64 points while Walton placed a close second in the 11-12 Boys Age Group with 73 just 3 points behind Florida’s Matthew Thompson. Rohan Johson and Matthew Hilton teamed up with Hamilton to power the Jamaican Team into second place in the 13-14 Team Points Standings. Six (6) swimmers from Jamaica’s National Swim Squad and fifteen (15) from the Tornadoes Swim Club competed in the competition which was held in Sarasota Sharks YMCA Pool (Sarasota, Florida).

Ramon Walton was the top medal winner for the Jamaica National Team, wining five (5) Gold and four (4) Silver Medals while Brad Hamilton mined five (5) Gold and two (2) Silver. Walton won his Gold Medals in the 100 M Butterfly (1:09.00), 200 M Butterfly 2:32.13 and all three Backstroke events (50 M 34.58, 100 M 1:14.53 and 200 M 2:37.98).

Brad Hamilton won all three of his Freestyle swims, taking the 200 M Free in 2:40.10, the 100 M Free in 56.05 and the 50 M Free sprint in a fast 26.12. His other Gold Medal swims came in the 200 M Individual Medley (2:24.18) and the 100 M Butterfly (1:02.72).

Rohan Johnson known best for his freestyle sprinting was true to form as his claimed a Bronze Medal in the 13-14 Boys 50 M Free (27.55) and finished fourth in the 100 Freestyle in 1:00.74. Breaststroker Matthew Hilton’s top finishes were in the 13-14 100 M Breaststroke touching third in 1:16.33 and 200 M Breaststroke where his 2:46.59 was enough for fourth.

Jamaica’s top female finish was Taryn Bridgewater’s fifth place in the 13-14 50 M Freestyle (30.49). Abiona Redwood and Gillian Millwood were the other members of the National Team.

Twelve year old Jason Adams, swimming for the Tornadoes Swim Club, was Jamaica’s other notable swimmer claiming one (1) Gold, three (3) Silver and one (1) Bronze Medals. His Gold came in the 11-12 50 M Butterfly when he swam an excellent 30.69 to edge a shocked Ramon Walton into second place (31.05).

The National Team, which is preparing for the Caribbean Island Swimming Championships to be held in Jamaica in July, will today participate in a training camp with the Plantation Swim Team (Fort Lauderdale) and return to the island on Tuesday May25.

CLICK HERE to view the full results for the Kent B. Holdren Memorial Swim Meet www.swimjamaica.com