THE National Sports Commission (NSC), through Director of Sport, Steve Ninvalle, has extended congratulations to Guyanese swimmer Raekwon Noel following his gold-medal performance on Tuesday evening at the inaugural Pan Aquatics Championships in Medellín, Colombia.

Noel, a freshman at Indiana University, is representing Guyana alongside 16-year-old Shareefah Lewis at the prestigious event, which features athletes from 31 countries and is organised by PanAm Aquatics, the governing body for aquatic sports in the Americas.

Competing in the fiercely contested Men’s 19–22 100m butterfly, Noel touched the wall in a blistering 54.00 seconds, narrowly edging out Venezuela’s Manuel Diaz (54.27s) and Puerto Rico’s Andrés Brooks (54.52s) in a narrow finish.

His outstanding performance not only saw him win gold, but also shattered Guyana’s national record of 56.35 seconds, which he had previously set in February 2023 at the National Aquatic Centre.

“On behalf of the Government and people of Guyana, I would like to extend heartfelt congratulations to Raekwon Noel for his historic achievement in Colombia,” Ninvalle said in a statement.

Ninvalle commended Noel’s discipline, steady progression, and unwavering commitment to excellence, noting that the NSC is proud to support an athlete who embodies both national pride and international promise.

“Swimming in Guyana needed a resurgence, and Raekwon has become that beacon of hope,” Ninvalle added. “We remain committed to supporting him and other promising athletes as they continue to raise the Golden Arrowhead on the global stage.”

Meanwhile, Lewis also impressed in the pool, registering a personal best of 33.47 seconds in the Women’s 16–18 50m backstroke to place eighth overall.

“We also want to commend Shareefah on her performance,” Ninvalle said. “Every race is a step forward. It’s not always about medals; sometimes it’s about growth and she’s certainly on the right path.”

Noel’s campaign in Medellín is far from over, with the 200m butterfly, 100m backstroke, and 400m freestyle still ahead.

Lewis will also return to action in the 50m freestyle and 50m butterfly events.