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Noel impresses at World Aquatics Championship
…GASA hails performance
By Rawle Toney
Kaieteur Sports – It was another impressive performance for the rising star in the pool, Raekwon Noel, this time while representing Guyana at the ongoing World Aquatics Championships in Japan.
The 17-year-old has been on his plateau, ever since making a splash at the CARIFTA Aquatics Championships this year, where he had the most impressive performance by any Guyanese since the inaugural event in 1985.
In Curacao, Noel grabbed a historic five gold medals, while resetting a few national records in the process.
The Guyana Amateur Swimming Association (GASA) named Noel, along with Olympian Aleka Persaud and Leon Seaton Jr as the country’s representatives at the championships in the city of Fukuoka, located in Japan’s Kyushu Island.
Noel finished with two first-place finishes his impressive times were not fast enough to see him through to the next round of competition.
The Guyanese won his heat of the Men’s 400m Freestyle with a time of 4:05.70, just shy of his national record of 4:03.57 set at the CARIFTA Games.
Guyana’s Raekwon Jibril Noel in action during Men’s 400m Freestyle heat at the World Aquatics Championships in Fukuoka, Japan, Sunday, July 23, 2023. (Associated Press photo)
In the 200m butterfly, Noel set a new national record with a winning time of 2:05.65, surpassing his previous benchmark of 2:05.85 which was also set at the CARIFTA Games.
Speaking to Kaieteur News yesterday, president of the GASA, Dwayne Scott showered Noel with praises, while stating, “It’s unfortunate how he was placed in the Heats status, but that has to do with FINA’s qualification times and how they categorized it during their qualification period. We’re extremely appreciative with first, FINA allowing him to be in the games and we’re extremely ecstatic about his performances.”
Scott said the GASA expects Noel to continue on his positive climb in the sport, pointing out that “it’s extremely important for him to rack up positive FINA points at major events which bodes well for him in his bid for the Paris Games.”
Raekwon Noel shows off his impressive five gold medals, won at this year’s CARIFTA Aquatics Championships.
He believes Noel’s achievement sets an inspiring example for other athletes aspiring to excel in swimming, demonstrating the potential for success through dedication and commitment to the sport.
Meanwhile, attention now shifts to Persaud and Seaton.
Aleka, the youngest Olympian from Guyana, aims to improve her times at the World Championship in the women’s 100m and 50m freestyle events.
On the other hand, Seaton, supported by a FINA Scholarship, is determined to demonstrate his progress in the sport during the men’s 100m and 50m freestyle events.
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