Yorke splashes to third CARIFTA gold

Yorke won ahead of Luis Sebastian Weekes of Barbados (2:11.18) and John Bodden of Cayman Islands (2:11.42). The 15-17 age group swimmer has won the 50m, 100m and 200m fly in this meet, a feat which he also accomplished in 2015. In addition to Yorke’s victory, two other swimmers mounted the top of the medal rostrum in the 200m butterfly. In the 13-14 girls Jahmia Harley stopped the clock on a personal best 2:31.18 to win gold ahead of the Guadeloupe duo of Lucia Francois (2:33.62) and Anouk Kamoise (2:34.48).

Jada Chai won the 15-17 girls event in 2:30.75 with compatriot Vrisnelit Faure taking silver in 2:31.59, with both athletes achieving personal bests. Albury Higgs of the Bahamas was third (2:31.85).

Gabriela Donahue continued a golden form, winning her fourth individual gold of the meet. The victrix in the 13-14 50m backstroke, 50m butterfly and 200m breaststroke, added the 50m breast to the list, in a new national record of 34.31, smashing her old record of 35.29.

The silver medal went to Will-Insha Marie Jules-Marthe of Martinique (34.35) with Guadeloupe’s Farah Sheikboudhou (35.19) taking bronze.

After a silver in the 50m fly on Sunday, and a silver in the 2016 15-17 CARIFTA 50m breast, Jeron Thompson splashed gold on Monday evening in the 15-17 50m breast in 29.23 seconds. Thompson edged the Bahamian Izaak Bastian into second (29.39), with Allan Badian of Martinique getting the bronze (30.10).

TT ’s 13-14’s golden girls of Jada Chatoor, Regan Allen, Gabriela Donahue and Jahmia Harley won the 800m free relay in 9:04.15 comfortably ahead of Cayman Islands (9:09.35) and Guadeloupe (9:10.23). However, the TT team have slipped to fourth on the overall standings with 455.5 points.

The CARIFTA Swimming Championships will conclude today.

In related news, Trinidad and Tobago have been granted the rights to host the 2019 CARIFTA Swimming and Water Polo Championships, according a post on the Amateur Swimming Association of Trinidad and Tobago (ASATT )’s Facebook page.