Grenada Prevail In OECS Swimming

In what has been unanimously described as the very best OECS Swimming Championships ever, the Grenada National Swim Team overcame the spirited challenge from the St Lucia Swim Team to hold onto the trophy for the fifth consecutive year.

Over the weekend 14-16 January at the Rodney Heights Aquatic Center, with a total of 1668.5 points to St Lucia’s 1508 points, the Grenadians relegated the hosts to second place and also held off the new kids on the block, a resurgent Antigua-Barbuda Swim Team with 1079.5 points. Fourth place went to St Vincent & the Grenadines with 180 points and the three-member British Virgin Islands with 44 points.

The Grenadians took an early lead from the Friday swimming and while the lead was never too much, they were always confident that the trophy would be returning with them

Of the 27 OECS records broken, five were accounted for by the St Lucians, three by Runako Daniel and two by Siona Huxley. In the boys 13-14 age group, Daniel set new standards in the 50m freestyle (25.31 seconds), 100m freestyle (55.94) and 50m butterfly (27.99). Siona set two OECS standards in girls 15-17 year 50m freestyle (28.08) and 100m backstroke (1:11.73).

Grenada set 13 OECS records and in a bold statement to St Lucia and Grenada, the Antiguans’ younger swimmers set an amazing 10 OECS records, promising that island – the 2011 host nation 4-6 November – to be a major mover in OECS swimming in the very near future.

This Grenadian victory in the 20th Championships has St Lucia and Grenada equal with ten victories each over the past two decades. The meet was characterized by keen competition, a plethora of officials, coordinated organization and attention to finer details, tremendous sponsors exposure and festive atmosphere while supporting the swimmers in their efforts for glory in the pool.