The team representing The Bahamas at the 2018 CARIFTA Swimming Championships left New Providence today for the regional meet.
The 60-member squad is looking to win consecutive CARIFTA titles in Kingston, Jamaica, over the Easter holiday weekend. Trevano McPhee serves as the team’s head coach with Georgette Albury as team manager.
Along with previous CARIFTA standouts Izaak Bastian and Lilly Higgs, McPhee expects breakout showings from several other team members in Jamaica.
“There are some swimmers that we already know will produce, and most people expect the same as well,” McPhee said.
“However, our entire team is very strong, and there will be some swimmers that will come to the forefront at this year’s meet. In the 15-17 boy’s division, you have guys like Nigel Johnson, Devante Carey and Marvin Johnson that we have high expectations for. Lamar Taylor is swimming in nine events in the 13-14 boy’s division, and we are expecting at least eight individual medals from him. Also, Ian Pinder, I think he will show well at the meet.
“And on the girl’s side, some of the younger girls will pick up where they left off last year. Zaley-Elizabeth Thompson and Katelyn Cabral will be great in Jamaica. I can go on record saying that.”
As far as the competition goes, McPhee anticipates a landslide win in Kingston, especially since he doesn’t consider the host country as the team’s closest competitors.
“I mean, I think we have this one sewn up. We just have to go out and execute,” McPhee added.
“Seeing that Jamaica will be able to field a full team and still isn’t the closest to us, that’s a good sign. I think our toughest competitors will be Guadeloupe once again, and probably Trinidad and Tobago, seeing that they are really good in both the boys and girls 11-12 divisions.”
Last year The Bahamas finished the meet with 785.5 points, more than 100 points ahead of second place finisher Guadeloupe who closed with 656 points. Trinidad and Tobago was third with 613 points, followed by the Cayman Islands with 611.5 points and Jamaica rounded out the top five with 512.5 points.
