Eight records tumble as
T&T dominate opening day
….Jessica Stephson wins for Guyana
KINGSTON, Jamaica, (CMC) – Trinidad and Tobago’s Tyla Martin broke two three-year-old marks as eight records tumbled on Saturday’s opening day of the CARIFTA Swimming Championships here at the National Stadium pool.

Martin first swam 32.27 seconds to take the girls’ 11-12 50 metres backstroke, dismantling the 2007  record of 32.43 set by Jamaica’s Kendese Nangle.

She then returned to take the 100 metres butterfly in one minute, 07.46 seconds, breaking another three-year-old mark set by fellow Trinidadian Kimberlee John Williams.

Trinidad and Tobago’s Christian Homer was also in record-breaking form in the boys’ 15-17 50m backstroke, clocking 26.70 seconds to take that event.

Trinidad and Tobago, heavily tipped to repeat as champions, also accounted for two more individual records along with a new team mark.

Dylan Carter dismissed his challengers in the boys’ 13-14 butterfly to win in 58.62 seconds and shatter Cayman Islands’ Shaune Fraser’s seven-year-old record of 58.78 seconds while Cadell Lyons established a new time in capturing the boys’ 15-17 100m butterfly in 55.79 seconds.

Zabrian Holder of Barbados weighed in among the record-breakers by winning the girls 13-14 100m butterfly in 1:06.16.

Two relays records in the 400m freestyle were also lowered as Aruba girls swam 4:07.88 in the 13-14 age group while Trinidad and Tobago’s quartet recorded a fast 3:42.24 in the 13-14 boys’ equivalent.

Kimberlee John-Williams of Trinidad and Tobago was also impressive, securing the butterfly and backstroke double in the 13-14 age group.

She took the girls’ 100m butterfly in 1:06.63 and completed the double by taking the 50m backstroke in 30.60 seconds.

Other notable winners on the day were Coral Tomascik of Cayman Islands who clocked 2:55.71 to win the girls’ 11-12 200m breaststroke while Jamaica’s Kevaughn Campbell romped home in the boys’ equivalent.

In the 13-14 200m breaststroke, Jessica Stephson of Guyana (2:46.33) and Dustin Tynes of Bahamas (2:31.30) were the girls’ and boys’ winners respectively.

Samantha Rahael of Trinidad and Tobago (2:42.11) and Diguan Pigot of Suriname (2:31.01) were the girls’ and boys’ 15-17 200m breaststroke champions.