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Grant, Fowler, George and Gaskin crowned Queens and Kings of the pool at GASA C/ship
Thursday afternoon saw the closing events of the Guyana Amateur Swimming Association
National Short Course Championship 2015 at the National Aquatic Centre, Liliendaal. The four day swim meet started on the afternoon of the completion of the 55th National Schools Swimming Championship.
All eyes were on Amy Grant in the 50m Freestyle since she has been missing from action with a lung infection that kept her out of swimming for seven weeks and she was beaten in the 50m freestyle swimming in the Girls Under-16 at the recently concluded National Schools Swimming Championships on Monday by Kenita Mahaica. Two days later she once again had to settle for silver to Mahaica at the GASA Championships swimming in the Girls 50m Butterfly in the 13-14 age group. The crowd was on their feet for the race and it lived up to all expectation as the starter whistle sounded. Both girls were off the blocks quickly.
They raised their heads together with Mahaica slightly in the lead to the wall but as they both approached the wall Grant joined Mahaica to turn at the same time. Mahaica’s fans felt like it was all over just like the last two losses. Amy’s fans knew that the race was not over even though Mahaica had a slight lead off the turn from the way they were shouting. Grant is a fighter and would not give up easily as she added more gas to join Mahaica with only ten meters to the finish. She then made a move that stretched Mahaica to the limit as both Girls propelled for the Gold. However, it was the underdog Grant who came out victorious as she hit the overdrive button and utilised all the little details fed to her by coaches, Yannick Roberts, her mother and Jaime Skeete to finish in a flash and reclaimed her title as the Blue Ribbon speed queen. Grant swam a faster time than she did at the Schools National Championship.
The next exciting race saw Andrew Fowler winning the Boys Open 50m freestyle beating a former World Championship swimmer Orlando McRae. McRae had a flying start and was two lengths in front of the field at the half way stage before Fowler who represented Guyana at the World championships 2015 in Kazan, closed in on Mc Rae with powerful strokes and kicks and took the turn with him. However, McRae, who is the more experienced swimmer, came out of the turn a body length in front of Fowler.
It looked like it was all over for Fowler as McRae headed for home holding a two lengths lead with ten meters to go but Fowler started to dig deep. M Rae started to lose steam as the young Fowler showed that youth can beat experience as Fowler’s powerful strokes brought him level with McRae with five meters to go. It was all over for McRae as Fowler left him an arm length behind at the finish to claim the sprint crown.
In the Girls 11-12, Jadyn George swam a brilliant race to edge her sister Danielle in a very competitive event for the girls 50 meters freestyle title. It was a race that any of the two sisters could have won but you have to give it to Jadyn because she has a lot of passion for the sport and they are also twins.
It was the only time you could have separated them as Jadyn pipped Danielle at the finish line.
In the Boys 15 – 17 category, Hannibal Gaskin was on top form as he sprang into the pool off the blocks with the rest of the field behind in the 50 metres freestyle. The 200m Gold medalist and record breaker at the 2015 Goodwill championship is improving with every meet that he has participated in this year and it is not going to be a surprise if he goes to the Olympics in Rio in the summer of 2016. Gaskin, who won his heat at the 2015 World Championship in Kazan has been given a scholarship by FINA. He is expected to do his best at university and in the pool during his studies, which will make his parents and grandparents happy and his club proud to have had him as a member. He swam the 50m freestyle with speed and his usual powerful kicks and pull to leave Omar Adams to settle for second place.
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