GUYANA’S swim contingent departed for the 2016 Rio Olympics in Brazil yesterday. The contingent consists of Guyana national swimmers Jamila Sanmoogan, Hannibal Gaskin and Dolphin Swim Club coach Paul Mahaica.Mahaica is a representative of the Guyana Amateur Swimming Association (GASA).
The two swimmers Sanmoogan and Gaskin did not qualify for the games but are going to the games with entries times slower than the qualifying mark.
The pair, however, are attending the games based on the universality places afforded by Fédération Internationale de Natation (FINA); the governing body of swimming worldwide.
The universality place is a system, where a country’s swimmers who do not qualify for the Olympics with the required times can be sent to represent the country upon selection by their Olympic Association.
Hannibal and Jamila will be looking to take down their best times and make it to the semi-finals.
GASA president Ivan Persaud noted that they are the best swimmers in the country.
“Both Hannibal and Jamila had been highlighted since last year and the recent training of both swimmers with Jamila in Colombia and Hannibal in Ohio was in light of the Olympics,” stated Persaud.
After the Olympics, Jamila will return to Colombia to resume her swimming scholarship at the University of Sports in Cali, while Hannibal will return to Guyana.