THE Guyana Amateur Swimming Association (GASA) season is set to kick off with this weekend’s hosting of its annual Mashramani Swim Meet which is scheduled to be held at the National Aquatic Centre, Liliendaal.The meet is expected to be held simultaneously with the Annual General Meeting (AGM) today at the same venue staring at 15.00hrs. At the AGM the association is expected to lay out its plans for the future of the sport.

Meanwhile, as the two-day competition gets under way in the pool, many of the swimmers will be racing against the clock as they try not only to outdo their contenders but also to gain qualifying times for the upcoming CARIFTA Swimming Championships – the meet will be doubling as a CARIFTA trials.
The CARIFTA Swimming Championships, which will also involve competition in synchronised swimming and water polo, is set for March 27 – April 14 in Barbados. The swimming division of the event will be held from April 4 to 7.
So far one swimmer, Antonio Hussein, has already gained a CARIFTA ‘C’ time from his performance at Amateur Swimming Association of Trinidad and Tobago (ASATT) Invitational Swimming Championships held last December. Hussein qualified in the Boys’ 11-12 50m freestyle after clocking a time of 28.15 seconds in the event. Guyana’s current qualifying time for the event is 32.49 seconds.
Other swimmers expected to be out and hunting after those CARIFTA timings on today include Kenita Mahaica, Nathon Hackett, Accalia Khan, Jamila Sanmoogan, Onika George, Daniel Scott, Joseph DeNobrega, Hannibal Gaskin and Omar Adams.
Sixty swimmers from five clubs across Guyana are expected to participate in the meet. The clubs are Dorado, Dolphin, Orca, Silver Sharks and Sea Otters.
Action will begin at 10:00hrs today and 11:00hrs tomorrow.