FINA’s World swimming C’ships in Abu Dhabi

Dec 18, 2021 Sports

Persaud is 1st Guyanese female to swim 100 free in under a minute

By Sean Devers

Kaieteur News – Abu Dhabi in the UAE is hosting the best swimmers in the globe for a six-day show between December 16 and 21 for the 15th edition of the FINA World short course Swimming Championships. The competition is being held in the iconic Etihad Arena and team Guyana is part of this event.

Aleka Persaud is only female Guyanese to swim the 100free in under 1 minute.

Fifteen-year-old Dorado Speed Swim Club’s Rekwon Noel, 15-year-old Olympian Orca Speed Swim Club’s Aleka Persaud, Dorado Swim Club’s 25-year-old Fowler and 15-year-old Dolphin Speed Swim Club’s Patrice Mahaica along Coach Sean Basksh comprise team Guyana.
On the opening day on Thursday, Patrice and Aleka were in action, while Raekwon swam for the first time yesterday.
Swimming in 100m free style, Guyana’s youngest Olympian clocked a time of 59.70 to become the first Guyanese female to swim that event under a minute.
Patrice swam a personal best of 1:12.24 in the 100m back in their races. Raekwon finished both of his events yesterday.
Yesterday, swimming in men’s 100m fly Raekwon finished his race in 1:00.25 and clocked 2:06.28 in men’s 200m free.
“We had fantastic performances from Patrice breaking the national100 meters back stroke and Aleka just created history by becoming first ever Guyanese female Swimmer to swim under a minute in the 100 meters’ freestyle. They both swam personal Best …he is done but that’s a good achievement for all three of them.
Andrew still has to swim and we are looking forward to seeing what he can do,” said the Orca Speed Swim Club’s Coach.
Coach Baksh provided an update on the Covid requirements to enter the UAE.

Team Guyana in the UAE.

“The protocols are in place here…Masks, Vaccination. When we arrived at the airport we had to do a PCR test. Every Forty-eight hours we have to do a PCR test.
There is an app that we have to download, it gives you your reading as you do the test it’s recorded there and you have to show it whenever you enter the facility or even when you go to eat in the dining rooms, you have to show it to prove that you are negative.
All protocols are in place but it’s not affecting us…we are all up to scratch,” continued Coach Baksh.
He informed that the team has to do a PCR test every three days.
“We do not expect any of the swimmers to reach the medal round, Raekwon has already finished, Patrice has already completed one event, while Aleka is ranked 60 out of 85 in her 100 free.
So they are not going advance to the medal round…we are not there as yet,” noted the Coach.
Olympian Fowler is scheduled to swim in the 50 freestyle today and the 50 butterfly tomorrow.
Patrice has one event to compete in on December 19 when he swims in the 50 backstroke. Aleka will swim in her final event on the December 20 in the 50 freestyle.