Jules unbeatable in swimming pool

TEENAGER Jules Graham is quietly emerging as a future Trinidad and Tobago swimming star.

This expectation was recently underlined when he emerged with seven gold medals at the recent Amateur Swimming Association Invitational Meeting in the Marlins Pool at Westmoorings. The remarkable achievements of the Queen’s Royal College (QRC) Third Form student are all the more significant as he is competing in the 13-14 age group for the first time. Standing five-feet seven inches tall, Graham was unbeatable in five individual events and had a leading role in pushing his club Marlins to two relay victories. Those who have been observing the exploits of the Diamond Vale resident are not entirely surprised by his dominance of his peers in the pool as he has been having an extrordinary year collecting trophies and medals.

Before the ASATT meeting young Graham had also left his fellow competitors trailing at the Milo Classic meeting in San Fernando; the Secondary Schools competition at Macoya taking QRC to second place overall and finishing Outstanding in his age group; and at an Inter-Club contest at La Joya. He has also been crowned “Swimmer of the Year” at his school for the past two years and is set on claiming a unique hat-trick when prize time comes around shortly.

Swimming since he was nine-years-old, Graham is coached by Edward Tuberoso, resident coach at Marlins and is strongest in the butterfly events of which he made a clean sweep; the backstroke, individual medley and freestyle. He has also been consistently representing Trinidad and Tobago overseas for several years and has already swum with distinction in Guyana, Suriname, Jamaica, Curacao, Barbados and Mexico. According to his proud mother Janet, Jules has his eyes set on swimming for TT at the Olympic Games. However she said he is a bit behind in his overall preparation for next year’s Games in Athens, Greece but will be moving full steam ahead for the 2008 Games in Beijing, China.