IT WAS more gold medal performances from young Aleka Persaud, Amy Grant, Paul Mahaica and Antonio Hussein when the Guyana Amateur Swimming Association (GASA) Independence National Long Course Championships concluded its penultimate day on Monday, at the National Aquatic Centre (NAC), Liliendaal. Persaud, who already won a number of gold throughout the meet in record-breaking performances, clocked another two gold medals as the day saw the swim-off of the competition’s 800m freestyle, 200m freestyle and 50m backstroke events in the respective age categories.
Swimming out of the Girls’ 8-and-under category the Orca Speed swim club swimmer clocked a personal best 3:01.15s in the 200m freestyle and another in the 50m backstroke when she touched the wall in 43.39s.
In both instances silver went to Dolphin’s Patrice Mahaica.
Grant claimed first place in the 800m freestyle (12:42.48s) and 200m freestyle (2:46.38s) events. However her 38.03 seconds finish in the 50m backstroke was only good enough for second place as she was upstaged by Kenita Mahaica with a 36.86 seconds finish.
It was Kenita who had played second fiddle to Grant in the 200m freestyle where she had clocked 2:49.48s.
Paul Mahaica, on the Boys’ side of the 8-and-under category, took gold in the 200m freestyle (3:02.75s) and 50m backstroke (46.51s) both in personal-best timings.
Hussein had gold in the Boys’ 200m freestyle where he clocked 2:22.28s, and silver in the 50m backstroke using up 34.70 seconds. Gold for the backstroke went to Nathon Hackett who clocked 38.84 seconds.
In the Girls’ 9-10 category Dorado’s Lian Winter also took home two gold, championing the 200m freestyle in a time of 3:09.24s, while in the 50m backstroke it was a 43.04 seconds finish.
Onika George won the 200m freestyle and 50m backstroke events of the Girls’ 15-17 age category, both times coming in ahead of Orca’s Accalia Khan, clocking 2:29.07s in the freestyle and 35.56 seconds in the backstroke.
Athena Gaskin won the Girls’ 18 and over 50m backstroke in a time of 49.22 seconds, while Brittany van Lange won the category’s 800m freestyle in a time of 11:05.98s.
Competition in the event concluded last evening with the 400m IM and 1500m freestyle events.