Seven records broken at SVG Gallagher Invitational Swim Championships

The 2025 SVG Gallagher Invitational Swim Championships, September 18-21, seven new records were set over the course of the four days.

Accounting for four of the records was Black Sands Swim Squad’s Kione De Shong, as he gave a glimpse into his future. De Shong, who earlier this year copped three medals- gold, silver and bronze at the Carifta Aquatics in Trinidad and Tobago lowered the times in the 100 and 200m Breaststroke; the 50m Freestyle; and the 200m Individual Medley.

Hence, the new 11 to 12 Boys 100m Breaststroke record stands at 1:10.37, down from 1:11.40. De Shong reset the 200m Breaststroke, to 2:35.57, eliminating the previous 2:37.45. In the 50m Freestyle, De Shong clocked 26.18. The record had stood at 26.33.

On the three counts, De Shong bettered his own records that were set at the Time Trials held in August of this year. The young swimmer also smashed Alex Joachim’s nine-year record of 2:28. 27, by timing 2:26.71 in the 200m Individual Medley.

Joining De Shong with record breaking swims, were Matthew Ballah and Caghry Williams, who competed for Black Sands and Blue Marlins, respectively.

Ballah, who represented St Vincent and the Grenadines at the Junior Pan American Championships in August, in Paraguay bettered his record in the 15-16 age group Male Backstroke, and archived Alex Joachim’s 2020 effort in the 100m Individual Medley.

As such the Backstroke record now stands at 26.97, down from 27.14; and the 100m Individual Medley, is now 1:01.03, erasing the five-year-old mark of 1: 01.65.

Williams took off 0.24s from the 11-12 years Boys’ 50m Breaststroke, as his 32.78, eclipsed his 33.02, done at the Time Trial in August.