SVG produce best effort… Grenada take OECS Swim Championships again

Hosts St Vincent and Grenadines produced their best effort to date in the annual Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Swim Championships, which touched down for the first time here at the Shrewsbury Aquatic Centre, from November 10 to 12.{{more}}

The Vincentian team roped in 49 medals in total, comprising 16 gold, 17 silver and 16 bronze.

Topping the medals for the home team was Shne Joachim, who secured 7 gold, to win the Girls’ 15 to 17 individual title. An Olympian, Shne at the championships established five new OECS records.

Also doing well for SVG in the pool was Kennice Greene, who got three silver and 1 bronze, to be runner-up in the Girls 8 and under and Alex Joachim 3 gold and 7 silver, which put him also second in the Boys 11 to 12.

In all, St Vincent and the Grenadines came up with 597.5 points, finishing fifth in the team table, the same as in 2015.

Then SVG had collected 33 medals, of which only 10 were gold, and registered 550 points.

But when the pool events ended last Saturday afternoon, it was Grenada which held on to their 13th lien on the championships, amassing 1,152 points, to leave Antigua and Barbuda in second place with 931.50 points and 13-times champion St Lucia in third place with 856 points.

Debutants Martinique docked in fourth, compiling 771 points.

The British Virgin Islands placed sixth, behind St Vincent and the Grenadines with 18 points.

Meanwhile, St Martin and St Maarten were part of the championships, but only as guest participants.

In the individual age groups, taking the Girls Under-8 was Shelby Nichols of Grenada and the Boys winner in that age group was St Lucia’s Antoine Destang.

St Lucia took both titles in the 9 to 10, through Naima Hazell, who secured the Girls’ individual title while D’ Andre Blanchard took the Boys’ title.

Cheanael Griffit of Martinique won the Girls 11-12, while Grenada Jenebi Benoit took the Boys segment.

Meanwhile, Katie Kyle of St Lucia clinched the Girls 13 to 14, while Antigua and Barbuda’s Leighton Martin grabbed the boys’ title.

In the Boys 15 to 17, Stefano Mitchell of Antigua and Barbuda was ahead of those who tested him in the pool.

And, the Grenadian duo of Oreoluwa Cherubin and Corey Ollivierre were the respective winner of the 18 and over for Males and Females.

In the 26 championships held thus far, only Grenada and St Lucia have copped the overall titles.

Grenada’s titles were won in 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2013, 2015 and 2016.

St Lucia’s list started in the first recorded year of the championships in 1991 and continued to reign undisturbed to 1994.

After being in the shadows in Grenada for five years, St Lucia returned to the top in 2000 and added on 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2011, 2012 and 2014.