Goodwill swimming …
Mickle picks up three medals
By Leeron Brumell
Guyana Chronicle
August 20, 2003
ASANTI Mickle was the lone swimmer to medal at the just concluded Goodwill Swimming Championships in Suriname.
Mickle competed in the 15-17 years age group, claiming one silver and two bronze medals in three of her events in the August 15-17 meet.
She recorded a time of 30.83 seconds in the 50m freestyle behind Jean Olfers of Suriname, who was first with 30.18 seconds, with Angelique Wangsawirana also of Suriname, third.
Mickle, recorded 1:08:64 seconds for bronze in the 100m freestyle. Olfers also claimed the event with a time of 1:06:48, while Cecilia Cimadure of French Guiana was third.
The other bronze for Mickle came in the 100 metres breaststroke with a time of 1:30.16. Olfers was again the winner of that event with 1:25:89.
Mickle, who had earlier returned from the World Swimming Championships showed improvements in the 200m Individual Medley which included the four strokes (breast, back, freestyle and butterfly), 100m breaststroke, freestyle and backstroke events.
Manager/Coach Vibert Charles told Chronicle Sport while no other local swimmer medalled at the championships, they have shown improvements in most of their events.
Reviewing the performance of the swimmers, Charles noted that Renaldo Rodrigues in the 8 & Under class has shown improvement in four of his five events entered - the 50m freestyle, breaststroke and butterfly and the 100m freestyle.
Rodrigues recorded the second highest improvement average on the Guyana team. Charles noted that correction has to be done to his backstroke. He showed no improvement in that event.
Jamal Mendonca he noted needed more training since he improved in only one of his five events - the 50m backstroke.
Mendonca was disqualified in the 50m butterfly for doing the wrong kick. He was doing the right motion, but somehow mixed it with the wrong kick.
Naira Freso, who swam in the Girls’ 9-10 years class placed fourth on the improvement average, recording better times in the 50m freestyle and butterfly and the 100 and 200m freestyle races. She participated in seven events.
Henk Lowe in the Boys’ 9-10 years category bettered three of his six events. He recorded better times in the 50m freestyle, backstroke and the 100m freestyle. His big brother Alan was first on the improvement averages with an average of 26.96 seconds.
Better times were recorded in the 200m individual medley and freestyle and the100m backstroke and freestyle. Charles said that he was equal with his entry timing in the 100m freestyle so there was no real improvement.
In the Girls’ 13-14 years category, Christina King improved in two of her five events, the 50m freestyle and 100m breaststroke races, while Jamal Sobers in the Boys’ 13-14 years division showed little improvement in his times. His best performance was in the 50m freestyle, but was still below his normal timings.
Yannic Roberts improved in two of his five events contested in the Boys’ 13-14 years class. He improved only in the 100 and 200m freestyle events.
Charles praised the athletes, coaches and those who assisted in the team’s participation in the meet, saying credit must be given to Edna Rodrigues who worked along with the 11 & Under swimmers and Nicholas Fraser who assisted with the older swimmers.
He said that apart from those coaches, the club coaches should also be commended for their work with the juniors prior to the selection of the national squad.
The Guyana Amateur Swimming Association (GASA) and the Goodwill Committee were also singled out for their efforts to send the team to Suriname, despite the lack of funding.
Chaperone Stephanie Fraser said that the swimmers did well.
“They performed well in their races though they did not medal but they lowered their times which was what we had set out to do.’
Originally some twenty swimmers were selected to compete, but were in financial difficulties and as a result they could not participate.
The Goodwill championship is an annual event on GASA’s calendar involving Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago and Suriname, but teams from French Guiana and Curacao were invited since the Suriname Swim Bond was celebrating its 50th year of Affiliation to the world body, FINA.
