SVG delivers another third place in OECS Swimming Championships

With a tally of 1102 points, host St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG), docked third at the 32nd OECS Swim Championships that were held at the Shrewsbury Aquatic Centre, from November 8 to 10, 2024.

The Vincentian contingent thus repeated their placing as in 2023, when St Lucia hosted the championships.

In all, the local swimmers pouched 88 medals. The haul comprised 30 gold, 27 silver and 31 bronze.

Apart from the medal count, St Vincent and the Grenadines attained two individual champions in Jadon Hamilton and Hazen Dabriel.

Hamilton collected 3 gold, 2 silver, and 6 bronze medals to boss the Boys 11-12 age group, while Dabriel earned 5 gold, 5 silver, and 1 bronze, en route to claiming the Boys 13-14 title.

Others joining Hamilton and Dabriel, as individual medal winners included Kione Deshong, who copped 4 gold, 2 silver, and 1 bronze; Kennice Greene- 3 gold and 1 silver; Alex Joachim – 2 gold, 3 silver, and a bronze; while Belle Adams accounted for 2 gold, 2 silver and 4 bronze.

Also mounting the podium were Matthew Ballah, who gained 2 gold and 3 bronze; Tayeah St Hilaire- 1 gold and 2 bronze; Caghry Williams -3 silver; Kathryn Cumberbatch – 2 silver medals.

Mya Defrietas picked up 1 silver and 3 bronze, with Abigail Deshong pouching 1 silver and 2 bronze.

Completing the list of medallists were Brandon George – 1 silver, and 3 bronze; Eltonique Leonard – 1 silver, and 3 bronze; and Azalea Cox – 1 bronze.

Apart from the medals, Vincentian swimmers left their mark on the championships, as they were responsible for establishing new OECS marks on six events.

There were three individual records and another three relay records that were reset.

Additionally, four St Vincent and the Grenadines records were placed into history, as Kennice Greene and Alex Joachim shared the spoils with two each.

Antigua and Barbuda were the overall champions, and claimed three individual titles, via Isabel Nicholas, who won the Girls 8 and Under; Christopher Walter, the Boys 9-10; and Anya De Gannes, the Girls 11-12.

Saint Lucia took the Boys 8 and Under category, won by Miles Andrew; with Sapphire Parks champing the Girls 9- 10; and Fayth Jeffrey securing the Girls 13-14.

Second place Grenada, dominated the other age groups. Tilly Collymore won the Women’s 15-17 title, with Nathan Fletcher, taking the Men’s 15-17.

In the 18 and Over age group, it was all Grenada, with Gabrielle Hyson and Zachary Gresham, taking the Women’s and Men’s titles, respectively.

The 2024 edition of the sub- regional Swim Championships, proved to be the largest, with nine countries participating. Apart from the top four- Antigua and Barbuda, Grenada, St Vincent and the Grenadines and Saint Lucia in that order, the other competing countries were St Kitts and Nevis, St Maarten, British Virgin Islands, Anguilla and Dominica.

St Vincent and the Grenadines has been earmarked to host the 2025 championships.