So commanding was the lead at the break, that the Purple House swimmers didn’t need to take to the pool for the second session of the Queen’s College Inter-House Swimming Championships on Wednesday.
But they were merciless, easily romping to their third successive victory at the Aquatic Centre with 562 points, after amassing 344 points at the half, a lead of 165. Purple were completely dominant, winning both the boys’ (243) and girls’ (319) by convincing margins.
Blue House were a distant second with 306 points, followed by Orange (267), Green (253), Yellow (161) and Red in the last place on 160.
Purple have been able to garner the cream of the crop in swimming, many of whom have represented Barbados at the regional and international level.
They were led by CARIFTA swimmers Lee-Ann Rose and Christian Selby in the 15-and-over age group, but Joshua Coles, Alexis Clarke, Lee-Ann Briggs and Kamilah Ellis proved they were not slouches.
Rose was unbeaten in her class, winning the 50 breaststroke, 50 free, 100 free (1:03.31), 100 IM (1:20.05), 50 fly (33.74) and the 50m backstroke in 35.10 seconds.
Selby swam above his 13 and 14 age group to gain more points, leaving Joshua Coles to clean up in that division.
He finished with 58 points, winning the 100 free (1:01.92) from Blue’s Kamal Seale (1:05.02) and the 100 IM in 1:08.44 to Seale’s 1:13.28. Selby touched the pad in the 50 fly in 28.12 seconds, Seale second in 30.08 and Kedar Carter in 30.50 seconds.
In the backstroke, his time of 32.02 seconds was ahead of Red’s Callum Wright (33.91) and Blue’s Jamal Forte (36.36), but Seale turned the table in the 50m breast, only to lose the marquee 50-metre free to Selby.
Coles was also unbeaten in his age group, and even when he crawled home in the 4×50 metres freestyle – a big smile on his face – there was simply no competition.
Also swimming unbeaten on the day were Green’s Rebecca Clarke and young Nicholas Hall in the 12-and-under boys’ age group.
Hannah Gill of Orange and Purple’s Alexis Clarke shared the honours in the 12-and-Under Girls’ division with 54 points. Gill won the 100 free, 100IM and 50 breast, while Clarke took the 50 fly, 50 back and 50 free in some close finishes.
Division Champions: 12 and Under Girls’: Alexia Clarke (Purple)/Hannah Gill (Orange) 54 points
12 and Under Boys’: Nicholas Hall (Orange) 60
13 to 14 Girls’: Rebecca Clarke (Green) 60
13 to 14 Boys’: Joshua Coles (Purple) 60
15 and Over Girls’: Lee-Ann Rose (Purple) 60
15 and Over Boys’: Christian Selby (Purple) 60.
