Latest update April 11th, 2025 5:32 AM
14th Goodwill Swimming Championships day 2…Suriname maintain lead, 7 more records tumble
By Franklin Wilson
Suriname has maintained their lead going into today’s 3rd and final day of the 14th Goodwill Swimming Championships (GSC) following another scorching day of competition yesterday at the Castellani Pool, Homestretch Avenue.
While the Surinamese accumulated points as they seek to recapture the overall title from defending champions Trinidad and Tobago, a number of records were also rewritten. 
The home team (Guyana) continues to struggle and have not won a single gold medal to date but have shown great heart despite not having the training and competition facilities their rivals, enjoy.
Linden Wickham with silver in the boys 13-14 100m free, Aureyah Payne (bronze) girls 11-12 50m back, Serrano Gonsalves (bronze) boys 11-12 50m back along with the girls 8 & under 4 x 50 medley relay team of Sarah King, Marissa Melville, Telena Smith and Accalia Khan (bronze), the boys combination of Stephen King, Daniel Scott, Dylan Nurse and Dominic Skeete (silver), 11-12 male quartet of Dorian Thompson, Travis Henry, Serrano Gonsalves and Omali Dare (bronze), the 13-14 girls team of Anna Layne, Steffi DeNobreiga, Noelle Smith and Darcy Chambers (bronze), 15-17 girls (Kristyl Robinson, Ashley Layne, Tiffany Nedd, Siedha Dummett) and boys (Alan Lowe, Stephen Soares, Sebastian DeFreitas and Henk Lowe) were the meda
lists for the Guyanese on day 2.
What was also commendable on the day was the sportsmanship displayed by the visiting countries contingents who cheered on the Guyanese swimmers especially in the relays.
RECORD BREAKERS
Male 9-10 swimmers, T&T’s Jabari Baptiste and Barbadian Christian Selby followed up their joint record breaking stamina with another record yesterday after doing so on day one with a new mark in the 2nd event of the championship, 200m freestyle.
Yesterday, they set a new mark in the 100m free erasing Suriname’s Joel Refos 1999 mark of 1:07.54. Baptiste achieved 1:05.82 and Selby, 1:06.07.
T&T’s Christy Romany (1:05.88) and Suriname’s Shannon Purperhart (1:06.30) competing in the girls 11-12 category, sunk another T&T swimmer 100m freestyle record of 1:07.07 achieved in August 2001.
Walter Romany of the Twin Island Republic bettered Guyana Yannick Roberts 2007 100m 15-17 mark of 54.41 with a new record of 53.18.
A new 50m female backstroke record (35.16) was set by 11-12 Surinamese Soraya Van Dijk knocking out T&T’s Melissa Woo Ling 2005 mark of 35.94.
Also breaking new grounds in pairs were Suriname’s Chandel Domaso and T&T’s Quitara La Guerre in the girls 15-17 50m back. Domoso, who is the leading contender to win her age group, swam 33.92 while La Guerre achieved 34.39. The old mark of 34.69 was set by T&T’s Afiya Walker last year.
The Soca Island pair of Anthony Edwards and Walter Romay both touched the line together in the 50m back at 28.36 to blank out the old mark of 28.58 set by Suriname’s Marcelino Richards in 2007.
Going into today’s final day, Suriname are on 1075 points to T&T’s 993.5, Barbados 518.5 and the home team on 474.
The Surinamese are also ahead in both the women and men team rankings with 541 & 534 to T&T’s 515 & 478.5, Barbados 239 & 279 and Guyana 219 & 255.
Events listed for today include the 100m back, 50m free, 50m & 100m breast along with the 4x50m freestyle relay closing out the championships.
A Gala Presentation and Dinner is set for the Ocean View International Hotel with tickets going at $3,000 each.
Competition time is 11:00hrs and swim lovers, fans and supporters are urged to come out and support the local athletes.
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