Bermuda's swimmers continued to make waves at the CARIFTA Aquatics Championship in Trinidad, at the National Aquatic Centre Couva. Thomas Cechini added a second medal to Bermuda's tally at the CARIFTA Aquatics Championships in Trinidad, securing a bronze in the 15-17 Boys 200m Freestyle on the second night of finals at the National Aquatic Centre Couva.
Cechini, who had already tasted medal success earlier in the championships, powered to a third-place finish in the 200m Freestyle, touching the wall in a time of 1 minute 54.83 seconds to claim the bronze medal. Compatriot Connor Hupman also competed strongly in the same final, finishing eighth with a time of 1:58.48.
Marleigh Howes continued her impressive performances, finishing sixth in the 15-17 Girls 200 Freestyle with a time of 2:12.31. She then narrowly missed out on another podium finish in the 15-17 Girls 50m Butterfly, clocking a personal best time of 28.83 seconds to finish in a tie for fourth place.
Sylvia Lim, who had also advanced to a final, competed in the 11-12 Girls 100 Backstroke Final, finishing eighth with a time of 1:17.63.
Cechini's second medal of the championships highlights his consistent talent and dedication, while Howes' near-miss and Lim's strong final appearance further underscore the strength of the Bermuda swimming contingent at this year's CARIFTA Aquatics Championships. The team will be buoyed by these performances as the competition continues in Trinidad.
Earlier in the day, Marleigh Howes demonstrated her endurance and consistency in the 15-17 Girls 200 LC Meter Freestyle preliminaries. Her time of 2:12.87 secured her seventh place and a spot in the final. Unfortunately, teammate Katherine Wheddon narrowly missed out, finishing 12th with a time of 2:14.82.
Thomas Cechini produced a standout performance in the 15-17 Boys 200 LC Meter Freestyle. He clocked an impressive personal best time of 1:55.46, the second-fastest time in the preliminaries, guaranteeing his place in the final and raising hopes for a strong showing.
Sylvia Lim faced a tough field in the 11-12 Girls 50 LC Meter Butterfly, finishing 26th with a time of 37.22.
Howes continued her busy and successful day, qualifying for her third final of the championships and her second of the day in the 15-17 Girls 50 LC Meter Butterfly. She touched the wall in a personal best time of 29.01 seconds, securing fourth place in the preliminaries.
Lim bounced back strongly in the 11-12 Girls 100 LC Meter Backstroke preliminaries. She recorded a personal best time of 1:16.99, finishing seventh and earning a well-deserved spot in the final.
Katherine Wheddon, competing in the 15-17 Girls 100 LC Meter Backstroke, also swam a personal best time of 1:12.09, finishing 11th overall.
In the 15-17 Boys 100 LC Meter Backstroke, Conor Hupman finished in 12th place with a time of 1:03.90.
With Marleigh Howes and Thomas Cechini both securing places in finals, and Sylvia Lim also advancing, the Bermuda swimmers continue to impress at the CARIFTA Aquatics Championship. The finals will provide further opportunities for these talented young athletes to compete for medals and showcase their progress on the regional stage.
