Brown, Burns inspire Bovell

Trinidad and Tobago’s swimming sensation George Bovell III, turned in an heroic performance but was upstaged by four world class swimmers at the 10th FINA World Championships in Barcelona, Spain, last Thursday. He placed fifth at the premier swim meet in the 200 metres Individual medley final but vowed to bring home the gold medal and a new Commonwealth IM record at the upcoming Pan-American Games. This start tomorrow in Santo Domingo from August 2 to 13. The Auburn University student made that pledge on Monday evening at the VIP Lounge, Piarco International Airport where he and the six-member TT’s swimming team returned from Spain. He was given a warm reception and during his interview Bovell said he made a mistake in the final which cost him a medal.  “But I am not daunted. I lost the race in the first leg —  the butterfly stage where I went out too fast and did not pace myself properly to finish among the medallists,” he said. “I knew the race would have been a fast one, but didn’t expect Phelps and Thorpe to go out so fast from the start. I had to change my strategy and try to stay up with the pace these guys were going at. Phelps was the man to beat so I had to stay with him to have a fair change of getting the medal,” Bovell recalled.

He revealed that Olympis and world champion Thorpe surprised him. “I was really surprised that Thorpe took it out so fast compared to how he swam in the other races. It was a real surprise and I was more tired than anything else in the final leg and lost out of the chance of getting a medal. I had to settle for fifth but I cannot worry over it. It’s disappointing not getting a medal after considering how well I swam in the ‘semis’,” exclaimed the 20-year-old Piranhas Aquatics club member. He said Phelps was the man to beat because of the times and the form he was pushing at the championships. “ was aiming to beat him and win the gold but I just messed it up in the butterfly. Thorpe also beat me and reclaimed the Commonwealth record. So I am now focusing on getting back the Commonwealth record at the Pan-am Games,” said Bovell. Having celebrated his 20th birthday on July 18 — the day before his first race at the World Championships, Bovell indicated that he might be contesting six events at the Pan-Am Games. He  fancies his chances in the 200 freestyle and the 200 metres Individual Medley.

In addition, the national champion is also expected to race in the 50 and 100 metres freestyle as well as the 100 and 200 metres backstroke. TT’s world youth sprint champion Darrel Brown and club mate Marc Burns are also students at the Auburn University and their presence is also a source of inspiration for Bovell. “It’s nice to have Darrel and Marc at the same University. We see one another and it’s always nice to have other Trinis to talk things over with. I always look forward for them doing well and I am sure it’s the same with them. We all want to succeed,” said Bovell. Bovell had set a new personal record in the world’s 200 IM semi-finals race when he clocked one minute 59.86 secs — also a new Commonwealth record.  He bettered his previous best national mark of two minutes 01.35 secs achieved at the 2001 World Championships in Fukuoka, Japan. Bovell. Is TT’s brightest prospect for a medal at the Pan-American Games. He can achieve his goal of getting the Games gold and Commonwealth record but feels that his major competition will come from swimmers from the United States, Canada, Brazil and Argentina. Bovell along with younger brother Nicholas and Piranhas Aquatics clubmates Ayiesha Collymore and Shantelle McClean who went to the World Championships will also be vying for medals at these quadrennial championships.