Vincentian swimmers rule OECS open water races

Vincentian swimmers showed off their wares last Sunday morning at Villa Bay, the venue for the staging of the open water races of the 26th hosting of the OECS Swim Championships.

The large Vincentian contingent won all but three categories contested, as competitors swam in the 1,500 metres and the tougher 5,000 metres.{{more}}

Most of St Vincent and the Grenadines’ titles came in the 1,500m, with Mya De Freitas taking the Girls 9 to 10, in 24 minutes 49.65 seconds and Javonte Forde, the Boys 9 to 10, as he clocked 24 minutes 53.77 seconds.

Kenale Alleyne was the winner in Boys 11 to 12 age bracket in 24 minutes 54. 09 seconds, while Aaron De Freitas was first in the Boys 13 to 14, in 23 minutes 49.44 seconds

Meanwhile, Kemus Tally secured the Boys 15 to 17 in 24 minutes 24.61 seconds; Kara Randall swam out with the Females 26 to 99 in 29 minutes 46.93 seconds and Stephen Joachim was the Male 26 to 99 age category champ, taking 33 minutes 57.76 seconds to cover the distance.

And, in the 5,000m, St Vincent and the Grenadines succeeded in copping two age categories.

Cruz Halbich was the first to come out of the water and run to the finish line in 1 hour 11 minutes 49.19 seconds, as he won the Boys 13 to 15 event, and Tyrell Ragguette of Bequia bossed the 15 to 17 age group in 1 hour 13 minutes 49.78 seconds.

Obstructing the Vincentians’ whitewash were the French St Martin’s pair of Micah Sinke, who claimed the Girls 11 to 12 and Emma Marshall who took the Girls 13 to 14 of the 1,500m race, while Tallis Ellis of Dutch St Martin led in the Women’s 5,000m.

Sinke’s time was 24 minutes 59.13 seconds, while Marshall stopped the clock at 24 minutes 58.95 seconds, with Ellis winning in 1 hour 18 minutes 34.66 seconds.

It was the second time the open water races were part of the OECS Swim Championships, following their inaugural staging last year in Antigua and Barbuda.