Bovell silver in 200m ‘free’

SWIMMER GEORGE Bovell last night added a silver medal in the 100-metre freestyle to his 200m freestyle gold, as the 14th Pan American Games in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, continued. At the Juan Pablo Duarte Aquatic Centre, the lanky Bovell, who won the 200m free on Monday night, finished behind Argentinian Jose Meolans, who touched the wall in 49.27 seconds, with Bovell close behind in 49.61 and Gustavo Borges of Brazil third. Bovell was in fourth spot after the half-way stage and gained good ground on Meolans, who led from the get-go, but could not overcome the speed of the Argentinian. Bovell had earlier won heat six of the 100m freestyle in 49.97 seconds with head coach of the national swim contingent Anil Roberts optimistic of the 20-year-old’s chances of victory. “He was not tired (after the 200m “free” final) and is confident that he will return to the medal podium,” said Roberts. And boxer Kerston Manswell was expected to trade punches against American Devin Miles Vargas at the Carlos Teo Cruz Coliseum for a spot in tomorrow’s heavyweight final, where he will face the winner of the Odlanier Solis (Cuba) —- Jason Douglas (Canada) battle.

Bovell’s younger brother Nicholas had the ninth fastest overall time of 2:06.04 seconds in the men’s 200m backstroke at yesterday’s heats, and was listed in the “B” final, which was due to take place last night. Ayeisha Collymore was eliminated in the women’s 100m backstroke but the Piranha Aquatics swimmer teamed up with Katherine Lee Ha, Linda McEachrane and Sharntelle McLean in last night’s 4x100m freestyle relay final. Shannon Duval gained a consolation victory in the “B” final in the women’s 200m breaststroke on Tuesday night. The Marlins swimmer, competing in lane five, was fourth after the first turn but stormed ahead of her six challengers and remained in front until the end. Duval clocked two minutes 41.56 seconds, with Brazilian Patricia Silva claiming silver in 2:41.75 and Margoth Escalante bronze in 2:44.87. The national men’s hockey team fought valiantly against the United States in their fifth-place playoff but fell 3-2 in dubious circumstances late into extra time yesterday. The Americans led 1-0 at the halftime interval but Kwandwane Browne equalised for TT in the 45th minute. The USA squad regained the lead shortly thereafter before Browne levelled the scores again in the 67th. But a controversial goal by the Americans, late into extra time, consigned TT to sixth spot, similar to the women’s squad.