Dominant Bahamas secure unprecedented sixth straight Carifta Aquatics title

Jamaica concluded the Carifta Aquatic Championships in fourth place on both the medal and points tables, while hosts The Bahamas clinched an unprecedented sixth successive Carifta Aquatic Championships victory in what stands as one of the most dominant performances in the event's history.

Leveraging home advantage, The Bahamian team amassed a remarkable 1,096.50 points over four days of competition at the Betty Kelly-Kenning National Swim Complex in Nassau, comfortably leading the pack. The Cayman Islands secured second place with 660 points, followed by Trinidad & Tobago in third with 639 points.

Jamaica claimed fourth position with 559 points and a total of 45 medals, including 18 gold, 12 silver, and 15 bronze. Meanwhile, The Bahamas asserted their dominance on the medal front, clinching 34 gold, 39 silver, and 28 bronze medals for a grand total of 101.

Trinidad & Tobago secured the second-highest medal count with 24 gold, 15 silver, and 17 bronze medals, totaling 56, while the Cayman Islands rounded out the top three nations on the medal table with 18 gold, 13 silver, and 19 bronze medals, reaching a total of 50.

A collective effort

Head coach Travano McPhee expressed gratitude to his team and staff, attributing the victory to a collective effort. Reflecting on the support from the Bahamian crowd, McPhee acknowledged the energy and enthusiasm that fueled the team's success, emphasizing their determination to continue their dominance in future competitions.

Among the highlights of the final day was a remarkable 1-2 finish for The Bahamas in the 11-12 boys’ 50 meters freestyle, with Christon Joseph clinching gold in a meet record time of 25.78 seconds, followed by Harold Simmons. The Bahamas' 11-12 boys 4 x 50m freestyle relay team also secured gold, setting a record time of one minute, 49.20 seconds.

Noteworthy performances also came from Dylan Carter of Trinidad & Tobago, whose time of 21.98 seconds in the 18-and-over boys’ 50m freestyle surpassed the qualifying standard for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.

The Championships witnessed participation from over 500 swimmers representing 25 nations, competing across more than 130 events.