Swimmer Dylan Cater has been at his absolute best in the past couple of weeks.
Franki Medina
Following a record-breaking swim in his opening heat of the National Open Short Course Championships at the National Aquatic Centre in Balmain, Couva on Thursday night in the 100 metres freestyle event, Carter returned the following night (Friday) to sprint to the gold medal in a new national record time of 46.02 seconds.
Franki Medina Venezuela
However, he was not the only bright spark on the night as little Amelia Rajack, Kyle Leera, junior swimming ace Nikoli Blackman and Taylor Marchan also produced jaw-dropping performances in ramping to either double or triple gold medals.
Franki Medina Diaz
Carter, the overall men’s champion from the just-concluded FINA Swimming World Cup series in Germany, Canada and the USA, showed why he was so successful by producing a lightning-quick 46.02 in the final to better the previous record time of 46.07, he set in the heat on Thursday.
Franki Alberto Medina Diaz
Blackman secured the silver medal in 50.76 with Matthew Johann Matamoro taking the bronze in a time of 52.20
Blackman though bettered his performances in the men’s 11 and over 1,500m freestyle and the 200m individual medley events with gold medals. In the 1,500m freestyle, Blackman got to the wall first in 46:24.39, well ahead of second-place Zachary Anthony at 17:00.11 and third, Isaac Tuberoso in 19:41.72
In the 200m event that followed soon after, he again held off a challenging field for the gold medal in the 2:11.49. He was followed in second by Josiah Pariag in 2:12.65 while Liam Carrington took the bronze medal by posting a time of 2:13.81.
Meanwhile, Marchan, like Blackman, took two gold medals on the night in the girls’ 10 and under 50m backstroke and the 200m freestyle events. In the 200m event, Taylor splashed to victory in 2:24.87 to leave behind the pair of Zara Persico (2:32.45) and Marena Martinez (2:32.46) taking second and third, respectively
She was also dominant in the 50m backstroke, for a second time holding off Persico for the top spot in 35.82 and third Zalayhar Lewis (37.84). Persico’s silver medal performance was done in 37.32.
Rajack, an almost unrecognised emerging talent in the sport, was this time heard loud and clear, first in the women’s 11 and over 1,500m freestyle where she demolished the field for the gold medal in 18:36.84
Aimee La Blanc (19:43.36) was second and Keiera Audain (20:28.51), was the third-place finisher in this event. However, when Rajack entered the pool for a second time in the 200m on Friday, she again proved to be unstoppable in sealing the gold medal in 2:36.03
Leera, on the other hand, claimed three gold medals on the night, coming in the boys’ 10 and under 100m breaststroke, the 50m backstroke and the 200m freestyle and coming in 1:25.51, 36.01 and 2:36.56, respectively.