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Trinis Martin, Julien excited about World Juniors in Dubai
Trinidad and Tobago’s Tyla Martin and Kristin Julien have expressed excitement about their participation for the 4th FINA World Junior Swimming Championships set for August 26 – 31 at the Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Sports Complex in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Kristin Julien
Martin, who lives in Boca Raton Florida, started representing Trinidad and Tobago in the second year of the 11-12 age group when she took Caribbean swimming by storm and won 11 gold medals at the 2010 Carifta Swimming Championships in Kingston, Jamaica.
In the process, Martin set eight (8) Carifta and three (3) national records and was the FINA High Points winner and most outstanding 11-12 female at the Meet. From year to year Martin has continued to excel bringing glory to T&T each and every time she entered the pool.
Fast track to 2013 and Martin is still making waves regionally. At 2the 013 Carifta Swimming Championships, she won 5 gold and 2 silver, with a national record in the 200m butterfly.
Born to a Trinidadian mother (Babette) and an American father (Craig), Martin first showed her mettle to the T & T public at the December 2009 ASATT Invitational. Her mother always wanted her to swim for T & T and through conversation with now World Juniors coach Franz Huggins, and former aquatic Director Hayden Newallo, that dream was realized.
The 16 year-old mermaid, who trains with Pine Crest Swim Club in Florida, is bubbling with excitement and is well prepared for competition in Dubai.
“I am feeling excited going into the meet. I have been preparing for months so I am definitely ready to race. My goals for the meet are to do personal bests and make finals. Training was tough I have trained through all the meets so it feels good to finally be tapering. This meet is by far the biggest meet I have ever qualified for and I am thrilled to be competing for T & T at the World Junior national level. This is going to be one of the best experiences and I am elated to be a part of it.”
Since August 10, Martin and Julien have been training together at Pine Crest and will leave for Dubai on Friday. Julien too, is rearing to go after months of preparation for the World Juniors.
Kristin Julien has been consistent in representing Trinidad and Tobago with an impressive track record since the 11-12 age group. Born to Wayne and Beverly Julien, Kristin has displayed a series of consistent performances, which has seen her entering the national record books.
This native of San Fernando has established National and Regional records in the 50m backstroke and 50m butterfly during the course of her career. She has been the ASATT Swimmer of the Year of her respective age group for the period 2008 – 2011, and is a member of TITANS Swim Club.
Tyla Martin
Before this achievement of qualifying for the FINA World Junior Championships 2013, her career highlight has been a finalist in the 2011 Commonwealth Youth Games in the Isle of Man. Kristin qualified for Worlds in December last year after recovering from an injury which kept out of competition for most of 2012. The energetic 17 year-old said she is ready for the Dubai experience.
“Going in to the meet I am more excited than nervous. I am looking to achieve some personal bests in all my events. This meet means a lot to me knowing all the hard training I had in preparation for it and also get a chance to prove wrong all those who thought I could not make it. I have had a lot of support from family, friends and my club, and I am going to swim with all my heart for Trinidad and Tobago”.
Martin is scheduled to compete individually in the 50, 100 and 200m butterfly, 200m and 400m freestyle. Julien is entered in the 50m backstroke, butterfly and freestyle events, and the 100m backstroke.
Both girls are expected to swim in the mixed 4 x 100m medley and freestyle relays. The other athletes on the team are Dylan Carter, Jonathan Ramkissoon and Joshua Romany.
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