GUYANA’S Olympic hopefuls, Andrew Fowler and Inter-Guiana Games silver medallist Omar Adams, both captured bronze medals at the recently concluded Aquatic Centre International Invitational swim in Barbados. Fowler landed bronze in the Boys’ 15 and Over 50m freestyle in a personal-best time of 25.65s, when he finished behind Barbados Alex Sobers and Christian Selby, respectively, at the Garfield Sobers Sports Complex Aquatic Centre-hosted event last week.

Fowler, who was also at the meet with hopes of reducing his timings ahead of possible attendance at this year’s Rio Olympics, later swam a time trial of 25.57 seconds. Sobers, also gunning to represent his country at the Olympics, took the win for the race in a time of 24.86s.
The ‘B’ standard Olympic qualifying time for the event is 26.17 seconds with the ‘A’ standard being 25.28 seconds.
Fowler is one of two swimmers from whom one will be selected to represent Guyana at the Olympics, if no swimmer manages to qualify in an event.’
Guyana will only be able to send one male swimmer if no swimmer meets the ‘A’ standard in their event, even if one of the swimmers meets the ‘B’ standard.
The other male possibility is Goodwill silver medallist, Hannibal Gaskin, who is currently studying and training in the U.S. on an Olympic solidarity scholarship. Gaskin, who is also working to lessen his timings, had also recently attended the South American Swimming Championships in Paraguay towards that aim.
Meanwhile, Adams laid claim to three bronze medals from his performance in the Boys’ 15 and Over butterfly events.
In the 50m butterfly, Omar touched the wall in 28.19 secs to come in just behind Sobers 27.69 secs second-place finish. Sobers compatriot Russell Oliver won the event in 26.32 seconds.
In the 100m butterfly Sobers ruled with a time of 1:02.13s, but Adams made sure he made it to the podium after clocking 1:04.35s.
For the 200m butterfly, Adams completed the race in 2:30.87s. First place was Luis-Sebastian Weekes in a time of 2:17.44s.