Jamaica floats to the top

NEVER AGAIN should anyone doubt national coach Jackie Walter when it comes to swimming.

Before the start of the Caribbean Islands Swimming Championships (CISC), she unreservedly claimed Jamaica would win more medals than the previous CISC in Puerto Rico in 2006. And, boy, did they, winning the overall title on Tuesday with a record 46 medals. While the swimmers earned most of the points and medals, they couldn't have done it without the water polo team and, particularly, the synchronised swimmers, who gave them the edge over rivals Trinidad and Tobago, who failed to field a synchro team.

Eight medals, four each, from the water polo and synchro teams, carried Jamaica's medal haul to 54 (13 gold, 17 silver and 24 bronze).

Perhaps Walter was being modest in not predicting an outright maiden title win for Jamaica. After all, they fielded a 49-member team, the largest ever, due mainly to Jamaica playing hosts. Jamaica's three Olympic qualifiers were also included in the squad and young starlets such as Kendese Nangle and Breanna Roman lit up the pool.

The water polo team, which won two gold, in the Under-15 girls and the 18 and over boys, also had their standouts. Nicholene Bryan of the girls' Under-15 team was the top scorer with 14 goals, six more than her closest rival, Claudia Ramos Raldon of Puerto Rico. For the boys team, Jamaica's John-Claude Wright (17) was edged by Trinidad's Christopher George (19) for the top-scorer award, but Wright has a gold medal to show for his effort.

The synchro team's best performance came from the six-member team in the 12 and under category. Deanna Webber, Laura Lim Sang, Alex Hinds, Chelsea Goffe, Jada Brown and Breann Campbell had a creditable performance in the team routine to nab silver behind Aruba. The duo of Michelle-Ann Gabadon and Shannon March, who are preparing for the ASUA age-group competition in Calgary, Canada next month, also danced their way to a bronze in the competitive 13-15 category.

- LeVaughn Flynn