Piranhas exhort Bovell to excel

THE PIRANHA Aquatics Swim Club have hailed the recent record-breaking performance of one of their members in the United States.

In a congratulatory message to George Bovell, Al Roberts, president of Piranhas Aquatics, said the club was proud of  his historic and unprecedented achievement. Last week Bovell, who attends Auburn University broke the American and NCAA records for the 200-yards Individual Medley at the NCAA Championships in Austin, Texas. Roberts, an attorney-at-law, reminded Bovell he had created history by becoming the fastest man on American soil to swim the 200m IM. “This is an astonishing feat which represents a tribute to your talent, hard work, commitment and sacrifice. We are justifiably proud of you, nationally and regionally,” Roberts stated.

The Piranha Aquatics head, who is also the immediate past president of the Amateur Swimming Association, said Bovell was “an aquatic examplar par excellence and constitutes a positive inspiration to his team-mates and the nation.” Roberts noted that the American report on Bovell’s accomplishment interestingly recorded cultural elements of Trinidad and Tobago’s calypso and steel pan music. “Bovell was now third at 48.44, but then he flipped and began groovin’ to a calypso beat, one monster pullout, a few strokes and he was in the lead, the steel drums playing in his mind. “Bovell blew away the field with his 29:37 breaststroke split and then he had more. Streaking through the final 50m free, Bovell split 24:37 to light up the scoreboard 1:42.66 (the crowd erupted). “A new NCAA record and a new United States Open record,” quoted Roberts from the report. “This was a refreshing and scintillating reference to and incorporation into the description of your exploits of a taste of local and regional cultural flavour,” Roberts stated.

The Piranha Aquatics president promised the club’s unqualified support and encouragement and  exhorted Bovell to continue swimming hard to make TT proud. Last week in the wake of his performance, Anil Roberts, the Piranhas coach said Bovell is now well prepared for the World Championships and the Pan American Games later this year. “He is a better long course swimmer but has shown he has developed well over the shorter distances and is set to compete among the best,” said Roberts, son of the Piranhas president.