JAMAICA FINISH SECOND IN CARIFTA MEDAL STANDINGS

April 9, 2006

With a haul of seven (7) Gold, two (2) Silver and five (5) Bronze Medals on the final night of competition, Jamaica finished an impressive second behind the French Antilles in the 2006 CARIFTA Swimming Championships Medal Standings mining 23 Gold, 11 Silver and 16 Bronze. This came after Jamaica had completed the Water Polo double, mining Gold in the Men’s and Women’s final played earlier in the day.

Olympian Alia Atkinson accounted for three of the Gold’s as she won the 15-17 400 M Freestyle (4:36.66), 50 M Freestyle (27.60) and the 100 M Breaststroke in 1:14.77. She later teamed up with Tamari Farquharsen, Donisha McKinzie and Gilliam Millwood to capture the Bronze Medal in the 4 X 50 Freestyle Relay.

Brad Hamilton was not to be out done as he swam a fast 24.36 to win the 15-17 50 M Freestyle and made it two Gold’s for the night when timed 1:09.43 to win the 100 M Breaststroke. Returning to anchor the Men’s 15-17 4 X 50 M Freestyle relay behind Travis Forte, Matthew Hilton and Garrick Robinson, Jamaica timed 1:40.14 to take the Silver just behind Trinidad and Tobago who timed 1:39.94.

Jamaica’s Lauren Soutar enjoyed a remarkable turn of events to win the Women’s 15-17 200 M Backstroke. In the preliminary heats, Soutar was ill and was out of the finals when she swam a slow 2:54.01 finishing ninth. But Cayman Island’s Bridgitte Tomasick was disqualified moving Soutar into the final. Swimming out of lane eight, Soutar made the most of her good fortune and swam the race of her life. Leading from the start to finish, she touched in 2:33.47 to take the Gold.

Kendese Nangle added to her already impressive haul of three (3) Gold Medals when she won the 11-12 200 M Backstroke swimming a personal best 2:43.15. Je’Nae Saunders (Bahamas) was second swimming 2:44.87 and Renee Gordon (Trinidad) third in 2:46.71.

Lanesa Downs captured a Silver Medal for Jamaica in the 13-14 50 M Freestyle timing 28.47. Steven Moodie’s won an individual Bronze in the 11-12 Boys 50 M Freestyle (28.05) and a 4 X 50 M Freestyle Relay Bronze teaming with Matthew Chen, Prince Easton and David Broomfield (1:59.86). Raynae Hall timed 29.79 to finish third in the 11-12 Girls 50 M Freestyle.

Brad Hamlton and Alia Atkinson were crowned 15-17 Male and Female Age Group High Point Champions scoring 72 and 90 points respectively. Jamaica had balanced scoring from the girls and boys (326 and 369) placing third in each category and 4^th overall with 695 points. The French Antilles won the High Point Trophy scoring 880 just 7.5 points ahead of the Bahamas (872.5) Trinidad and Tobago were third with 745.5.

The team will return home Air Jamaica Monday evening.