Latest update November 15th, 2024 1:00 AM
Records tumble on day 1 & 2 of GASA Mash Meet
Jessica Stephenson in action during one of her races
Female swimmers display pristine form; van Lange & Stephenson set the pace
By Franklin Wilson
A total of 11 records have been shattered in two days and a number of others are in jeopardy going into the final day today of the Guyana Amateur Swimming Association/Mashramani Meet taking place at the Castelani Pool, Homestretch Avenue.
In ripping form and accounting for 5 of the records to date is 13 year-old Dorado athlete Britany van Lange, her club mates 14 year-old Trinidad and Tobago based Jessica Stephenson has 2 with one each to 13 year-old Soroya Simmons, 16 year-old Noelle Smith and 18 year-old Niall Roberts. 14 year-old Ronaldo Rodrigues (Silver Sharks) who has made a welcome return to the sport also etched his name into the record books with a spirited performance.
On day one, van Lange, competing in the 13-14 age group and in only the second event of the meet shattered Athena Gaskins 800M freestyle record of 10:45.92 achieved in September last year replacing it with a new time of 10:32.69. Gaskin had to settle for the number two spot in the race.
Yesterday, van Lange brushed aside Noelle Smith’s 200M Individual Medley (IM) November 2008 mark of 2:54.86 with a new mark of 2:49.18. Athena Gaskin also broke the record with a time of 2:49.34.
The bold and positive van Lange was unstoppable in the 50M butterfly again dislodging Smith’s August 2008 record of 34.67 with 34.26; Athena Gaskin’s August 2009 100M freestyle record of 1:06.16 went flying through the window when van Lange achieved 1:04.98, Jessica Stephenson achieved 1:06.39; and in the penultimate event for yesterday, van Lange, in a time of 5:09.37 in the 400M freestyle replaced Athena Gaskin’s September 2009 record of 5:13.09.
Ronaldo Rodrigues compete during his return to the local scene yesterday.
Stephenson was unstoppable in the 50M Breaststroke when she blew away Noelle Smith’s August 2008 mark of 40.21 with a new standard of 36.54. Stephenson was equally devastating in the 200M breast, swimming all alone she smashed the September 2009 mark of 3:13.67 by Athena Gaskin, replacing it with a new record of 2:50.42.
Ronaldo Rodrigues made a successful return to competition with a record performance in the 13-14 50M breast when he achieved 34.15 knocking over Linden Wickham’s August 2007 record of 34.89.
Roberts, competing in the 18 and over category, replaced Jamaal Sobers’ May 2009 50M butterfly record of 27.71 by clocking 26.72. On day one, Soroya Simmons (13-14) rattled Asanti Mickle’s August 2001 100M backstroke record of 1:20.12 with a new standard of 1:20.02, van Lange placed 2nd.
The other swimmer setting a new record on the opening day was Noelle Smith who achieved 1:21.32 in the 15-17 100M back to topple Beverly Fiedtkou’s August 1999 mark of 1:22.41.
Rodrigues was also the winner of the 200M IM, 50M fly, 100M free; Smith 200M IM, 50M fly, 100M free, 50M breast; Simmons 100M free; Roberts 100M back, 100M free; Henk Lowe (boys 15-17) 1500M free, 100M back, 200M; Alejandra Vieira (girls 18 & over) 100m back, 200M IM, 50M breast; Jarrell Troyer (boys 8 & under) 100M IM, 50M fly; Nkosi Beaton (boys 8 & under), 100M free, 50M breast; Accalia Khan (girls 9-10) 200M IM, 50M fly, 100M free, 50M breast; Daniel Scott (boys 9-10) 200M IM, 50M fly, 100M free, 50M breast; Benjamin Griffith (boys 11-12) 100M back; Hannibal Gaskin (boys 11-12) 50M fly, 400M free; Onica George (girls 11-12) 100M back, 100M free, 50M breast; Jamie Jabar (boys 15-17) 50M fly, 50M breast; Shaqueel Amin (boys 11-12) 100M free, 50M breast; Sheik Amir (boys 15-17) 100M free; Ewin Enmore (boys 18 & over) 50M breast; Serrano Gonsalves (boys 13-14) 100M back.
Today is the final day with warm-up commencing at 10:00hrs and competition beginning one hour later.
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