ALEKA Persaud, Ethan Gonsalves and Daniel Scott stood out as Guyana’s star swimmers over the weekend, bringing in most of the country’s 32 medals as Guyana finished fourth at the Goodwill Swim Meet which concluded last Sunday in Barbados.

Notwithstanding the country slip from last year’s third place, this year saw another improved year for the’ Land of Many Waters’, with the team even finishing ahead of long-time rivals, Suriname, who fell all the way to fifth.

Of the 32 medals, Guyana collected 11 gold, and 9 silver.

The tournament was once again won by longstanding champions Trinidad and Tobago who amassed 1351 points. They were followed by the home side who collected 1032 points.

Third place was taken by The Bahamas team, which had 670.5 points. Guyana ended with 553 points, and Suriname’s fall from grace saw them ending with 532 points.

Of the remaining teams, Jamaica ended sixth (507.5), St Lucia seventh (285) and Grenada eight (224).

With her seven individual medals (6 gold and 1 silver), Persaud continued her standing as Guyana’s most successful swimmer at the meet. Despite taking on the challenge of being in a new age category this year, Persaud still continued her record-breaking ways , starting out her run in the girls’ 11 – 12 category at the meet by setting three new records during the weekend.

It all began on Friday, with the 100m freestyle when Persaud brought the record down to 1.03.13s. She went on a record-breaking rampage on Saturday, dismantling the 200m Individual Medley (2:36.50s), 50m Freestyle (27.95s) and 50m Butterfly records (30.63s). She picked up a silver in the 100m breaststroke with a time of 1:23.21s. 

On Sunday, she toppled Shivani singh’s record in the 100m Butterfly, shaving off two seconds and setting the new standard at 1:09.17s. There was also a gold to be picked up in the 200m freestyle, where she touched the wall in 2:20.33s.

Gonsalves followed Persaud in the line of top performers with his two gold, three silver and two bronze medals. Swimming in the boys’ 11 – 12 category, Gonsalves championed the 100m freestyle (1:01.83s) and 200m freestyle (2:12.92s) events. In the 100m butterfly, he finished behind Bahamas’ Msanna Bosland, with a time of 1:09.03 for second place.

There was another silver in the 100m breaststroke (1:21.14s) and 200m IM (2:32.46s) events. He finished third in the 100m backstroke (1:14.19s) and 50m freestyle (28.23s) events.

Little Shereefah Lewis, in the girls 8 and under category, had a gold in the 50m backstroke, winning the event in 40.29 seconds.

Scott did not manage to pick up a gold, but he was just as much an asset to the team as he rounded up two silver and three bronze medals to add to the loot. Swimming in the older boys 15 – 17 category, Scott took second place in the 50m butterfly (27.71s) and 200m freestyle (1:59.94s).

He took bronze in the 100m freestyle (54.96s), 200m IM (2:20.05s), and 100m butterfly (1:05.15s).

Other medal earners on the team included Patrice Mahaica and Monique Watson in the girls 11 – 12 category, winning a silver and a bronze, respectively, and Paul Mahaica in the boys 11 – 12 category with a bronze.

The full list of Guyanese medallists at the 2017 Goodwill Swim Meet are as follows:

Aleka Persaud – 6 gold, 1 silver

Ethan Gonsalves – 2 gold, 3 silver, 2 bronze

Shereefah Lewis – 1 gold

Daniel Scott – 2 silver, 3 bronze

Patrice Mahaica – 1 silver                               

Paul Mahaica – 1 bronze

Monique Watson – 1 bronze

Relay – 2 gold, 2 silver, 5 bronze