The 35th annual Carifta Games Swimming Championships, held March 21-26 in Martinique at the Centre Aquatique Communautaire, featured 600 athletes from 21 different federations across the Caribbean. Swimmers from both sides of the island, representing the St Maarten Aquatic Federation (20 athletes) and St Martin Natation (9 athletes), competed for the first time in this event. Athletes, ages 11-17, came together from three different club teams on the island – Sharks Swim Team, Super Splash Swim Team and Carib Swim Team – to form the Dutch side team and the French side team.
The Dutch side team, swimming under the banner of the St Maarten Aquatics Federation, was comprised of 20 athletes: Quinton Cornelius and Sharmar Thomas (Sharks), Sarah Courtar, Kiemoy Flemming, Keanu Jacobs Guishard, Justin Williams, S’Ade Williams and Gabriel de Vries (Super Splash), Paul ten Broecke, Abbi Illis, Taffi Illis, Sahil Khatnani, Johanna Looser, Emma Marshall, Lynn Martina, Devesh Mirpuri, Iris van den Oever, Rashad Peterson, Reynaldo Richards and Micah Sinke (Carib Swim Team). The athletes were accompanied by Delegation Leader Nicole Maccow, Head Coach Burton Theodora, and assistant coaches Megan Pittman and Robbert Schrijvers.
The French side team, swimming with special permission granted by the Federation Francaise de Natation to represent St Martin, was comprised of 9 athletes: Chloe Boecasse, Chelsea Boudine, Grace Cheasley, Abiola Dessout, Naima Dessout, Freya Knaggs, Allison Mocellin, Ben Pocovi, and Nahel Ramanaidou (Carib Swim Team). The athletes were accompanied by Head Coach Megan Pittman, and team managers Nisha Khatnani, Divina Mirpuri, Adele Mocellin and Philomena Richards.
Over the course of the four day prelims/finals competition, swimmers competed in 147 individual races and 4 relay events. Even in the midst of fierce competition, these swimmers managed to achieve 120 personal best times, amounting to a very successful experience for these young history makers.
Additionally, six swimmers, Naima Dessout, Taffi Illis, Freya Knaggs, Johanna Loosers, Allison Mocellin and Rashad Peterson, competed in the 5 kilometer open water race, all finishing the longest open water swim in which any of them had previously competed.
Over the past several weeks, swimmers, coaches and parents engaged in a variety of fundraising activities to offset the cost of the trip for the athletes. As such, the St Maarten Aquatic Federation and St Martin Natation extend their sincere gratitude to the government institutions, private businesses and individual persons who granted financial assistance towards the trip.
The 2017 Carifta Games Swimming Championships will take place next spring in the Bahamas.