Seaton Swims two PBs in Puerto Rico Olympic qualifiers

May 27, 2021 Sports

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Junior Swimmers only Guyanese on Show

By Sean Devers

Kaieteur News – Competing in the Puerto Rico international Open (PRESO), Silver Shark Aquatic Swim Club’s 17-year-old Leon Seaton Jr clocked a personal best of 28.10 in the preliminary rounds of the men’s 50m fly to shave of .0.3 off his entry time and followed it up in the with another PB time 1:08.04 in the 100m backstroke after starting the Event with a time of 1:10.87.
In the four-day Event which climaxed last Sunday, young Seaton swam in four races; finishing the 50m Fly in 24.99, falling .0.15 short of his entry time and 24.99 in 50m free after starting the with a time of 24.84.
Aleka Persaud, the other Guyanese competing at the Meet, swam times of 30.98 in the women’s 50m fly, 1.02.39 in the 100m free, shaving off .0.54 of her entry time.
“I did not achieve the qualification times in any of the races but I came close to qualifying ‘B’ standards and that is still something I can set as goal for me to achieve in the future,” informed Seaton.
“At the Event many persons from different clubs and Countries attained B cuts and some A cuts and some attained the Qualifying standards but nobody from Guyana reached the qualifying standard,” Seaton added.

Guyanese Jamila Sanmoogan and Andrew Fowler, who not attend the meet in Puerto Rico, were given ‘Wild Cards’ to participate in the Tokyo Olympics.
According to Seaton, the Puerto Rico qualifier benefited him in a lot of ways.
“It showed me that I could never give up…It showed that team work be an important factor, it provided me with the experience of swimming in a competition in which everybody was vying for a spot in the Olympics…over 40 Countries and different clubs.
So I think that was a very good experience. The rivalry was very high, the emotions and competitive spirit was very high. It was something that I was exposed to and I am grateful for that exposure.”
Seaton rated his performance as not what he was expecting.
“My two pet events that I focus on more, I did not improve in them but based on the time trials that I would have done, the passion that I had to improve… I would give myself a 10 out 10 because of the fight I put up to the very end because I wanted to prove that I could improve on that best time.
As it turned out at the end of the competition I did break the 25 barrier but I just didn’t swim faster than my personal best, but the passion I had to see myself overcoming my best time, I rate 10 out of 10,” continued Seaton.
In the time Trials Seaton swam 24.99 in the 50 meters’ freestyle.
“In my other events I rate myself 10 out of 10, especial the 50 Butterfly and 100 back, those were the two events I improved in so that was big for me as someone who don’t train backstroke that much…that was really nice,” said Seaton.
Last June Seaton received a seven-month FINA Scholarship to train in Florida, USA for the 2021 Olympics which has been extended by three months.
The talented teenager, who will now return home next month, spoke about his scholarship on his return to the Florida from the US controlled Caribbean Island Monday.
At the time when the scholarship was offered Seaton and Fowler had fast times and were the two top Guyanese Olympic contenders in the 50-mters free style races.
“It has been very good for me in terms of the level of experience I have gained from the high standard of competition I have been exposed to.
My next International competition should be in December in the World Championship in the short course… 25 meters…in the United Arab Emirates. So I am focusing on that. But between now and then there a lot of smaller companions that I could attend,” said the fifth former at the St Roses High school.
He said he is not sure if he will attended another qualifying tournament before June 27 when Olympics qualifying period ends to give him another chance of getting to the Olympics.
“But if not I will be training for the December Event in the United Arab Emeritus,” Seaton noted.
He also spoke about the other Guyanese at the event, Aleka Persaud.
“Aleka swam well taken into account that she was in Guyana and not being able to do any training in the pool due to Covid-19 Pandemic. She had some pretty strong races. I saw her races and she was very strong and ended seconds from her best times which is commendable since was not competing since Covid struck last year march,” he opined.
In terms of what he would like as he starts his journey to the next Olympics in three years’ time, Seaton said the swimming programme in the US is great.
“As Swimmer I would say improve on my self-character and focus would defiantly make me a better Athlete because no matter how old you are you always learning new things,” Seaton concluded.
President of GASA Dwayne Scott recently stated the work will start soon to ensure that Guyana’s top junior swimmers (Seaton & Persaud) qualify for the next Olympics in 2024 in Paris.

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