Tayeah St Hillaire leads SVG’s performance at Carifta Swimming

Tayeah St Hillaire scooped three medals- two silver and one bronze; while Zariel Nelson copped silver, as St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) secured four medals in the Swimming section of the Carifta Aquatics Championships that ended last Monday, April 10, in Curacao.

Competing in the Girls 11-12, St Hillaire timed 1:13.33 in the 100 metres Butterfly, and clocked 30.92 seconds in the 50 metres Butterfly to claim her silver medals.

Then in the 50 metres Freestyle, St Hillaire stopped the clock at 29.21 seconds to secure her bronze medal- all in her first year at the Championships.

In the process, St Hillaire re-established three new national records; while her 1:23.75 clocking in the 100 metres Backstroke, proved her personal best.

Meanwhile, Nelson, who swam in the Girls 13-14 age group, got her silver in the 50 metres Freestyle with a timing of 27.46 seconds, also her personal best.

In addition, Nelson’s 1:2.39 effort in the 100 metres Freestyle, which landed her in fifth position was her personal best in the event.

St Vincent and the Grenadines was also represented by Matthew Ballah, Brandon George and Mya De Freitas at the Championships.

Ballah, who swam in the Boys 13-14 age group, qualified for the finals of the 100 metres Backstroke finishing in sixth place.

George, who competed for the first time in the Boys 15-17 age category acquitted himself well, reaching the finals of the 100 metres and 200 metres Backstroke events.

His 1:2.59 in the 100 metres,became a national record; his 2:22.19 in the 200 metres was also a national record.

In the case of De Freitas, who was swimming in her last year in the 15-17 age category placed seventh in the 800 metres Freestyle in a sub-par effort, reportedly due to illness.

In all, the five Vincentian swimmers reached 11 finals, with St Hillaire leading the way with four appearances.

The four medal count made it the ninth straight occasion that swimmers representing St Vincent and the Grenadines were on the podium at the Carifta Games.

A release from the SVG Swimming Federation singled out Gallagher Insurance Brokers, the SVG Olympic Committee, and World Aquatics, for realising the team’s participation at the 2023 Championships.