Swimming champs splash off

ENDURANCE was the order of the night when the Long Course Swimming National Championships got underway yesterday at the National Stadium.
The 800 metres freestyle event was on the programme for swimmers in the older age groups who tackled the 16-lap event.
In the boys’ 15 to 17 age group, Alpha’s Jelani Forde was the sole entrant, winning in 11 minutes 01.84 seconds.
Pirates’ Alexis Clarke was the winner of the girls’ race in 9:31.22, leading home the Titans’ duo of Amara Gibbs and Kimberley Willoughby, who were clocked at 9:42.81 and 10:00.54, respectively.
Damon St Prix proved he was no slouch over the longer distance, winning the 13 to 14 boys’ 800 free in 9:15.80, blowing away Pirates’ Kobi Talma (9:52.79) and Dylan Clarke (10:39.55).
Pirates had the last laugh among the girls, however, with Hannah Gill (9:15.36); Margaux Harvey-Reid (10:19.98) and Rebecca Lashley (10:35.60) sweeping that event.
Alpha’s Nkosi Dunwoody won the boys’ 11 to 12 800 free in 10:39.40 from clubmate Lamar Mayers (11:06.86).
In the 9 to 10 age group, Jessica Templeton of Pirates was the winner of the 100m butterfly in 1 minute 27.58 seconds. Alpha’s Aza Dunwoody was second in 1:29.04 and clubmate Kayla Smith took bronze in 1:33.28.
With a time of 1:23.40, McCallum Clarke raced to gold in the boys’ race, followed by his Alpha teammate Taj Gulstone (1:24.33) and Niel Skinner of Titans in 1:27.80.
The Championships continue at 5 p.m. today. (SAT)