Trinity swimmers bag 89 medals

Trinity Masters Swim Club of Trinidad and Tobago returned from Barbados on Sunday with a haul of 37 gold, 33 silver and 19 bronze medals captured in the seventh Latin American and Caribbean Masters Swimming Championships at the Aquatic Centre.

The TT swimmers placed third overall out of 32 masters swim clubs from 16 countries. Brazil won the meet with Barbados second. Some of the other participating countries were  Mexico, Cuba, Jamaica, Bahamas, Guatemala, Argentina, Venezuela, Aruba, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia and Puerto Rico. Trinity’s top performers were Michael Stollmeyer (Male 65-69 category) and Pattyde la Rosa (Female 50-54 category). Both swimmers received the High Point Trophies in their categories. Stollmeyer won five gold medals and set five new Latycar records in the 50, 100, 200, 400, and 800 metre freestyle events.  He also won his category in the three km ocean swim. Patty de la Rosa won three gold medals and set three new records in the 50, 100, and 200-metre breaststroke. She claimed silver in the 200-metre backstroke and bronze in the 200-metre freestyle. In the three- km ocean swim on Saturday de la Rosa topped the 50-54 female age group to win the gold medal. Other swimmers receiving tremendous success in their age groups were Donna Pollard (55-59 female) four gold and one silver; Geoffrey Ferreira (50-54 male) three gold and two silver, Louis Martin (50-54 male) three gold and one bronze; and Bruce Kaufmann (40-44 male) two gold and three silver.

Other gold medal winners in the pool included Amanda de la Rosa (25-29 female), Claire Morrall (30-34 female), Jackie Millar (40-44 female), Simon Sutcliffe (30-34 male)1, Richard Knaggs (45-49 male), Wayne Crooks (55-59 Male), and Lennox Amow (65-69 male) —- two gold. Trinity Masters were also very successful in the relay events winning three gold, five silver and one bronze medal. In the 240-279 combined year age group, the team of Michael Stollmeyer, Gordon Borde, Geoffrey Ferreira and Wayne Crooks won gold in the 4 X 50 freestyle and set a new Latycar record in the process.  This is the first time that Trinity have been able to field a team in this age group. After five days in the 50-metre swimming pool, the masters took to the ocean off Carlyle Bay on Saturday for a three km and five km race. Trinity Masters were very successful here again. In the three km swim Kate Carmichael won gold in the Pre-masters category, Richard Knaggs was first in the 45-49 male category with Paul Ahloy second.

Donna Pollard won gold in the 55-59 female category and Geoffrey Ferreira took silver in the 50-54 male category.  So together with the gold medals from Patty de la Rosa and Michael Stollmeyer, Trinity’s total in the three- km ocean swim was four gold and two silver Masters medals, and one Pre-Master gold.  Even though allowed to swim with the Masters, the Pre-Masters category (19-24 years) does not count for team points.  Masters are swimmers 25 years of age and older. In the 5km ocean swim, Trinity’s three entrants were all medal winners.  Claire Morrall won the gold medal in the 30-34 female category, Gordon Borde was first in the 65-69 male category and Jackie Jodhan placed third in the 35-39 female category. Creditable mention must be made of Trinity Masters first time swimmers who all achieved personal bests in their events. These included Jerry Chin Lee, Caroline Whorlow, Simon Sutcliffe, Wayne Crooks, Liz Jolley and Amanda de la Rosa.