By RENALDO DORSETT

Tribune Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

THE 46th edition of the Bahamas Aquatics’ 2017 RBC Swimming Nationals Championships concluded four days of keen competition last night at the Betty Kelly Kenning Aquatic Centre.

The event featured standout performances from many of the top junior swimmers the country had an opportunity to witness earlier this year at CARIFTA, others who will swim next month at the Commonwealth Youth Games and the return of Olympians and elite athletes.

It was the first competition for Arianna Vanderpool-Wallace since her participation in the Rio Olympics. She closed out the competition with a win in her signature event - 50m free - in 25.80 seconds followed by the Texas Longhorns’ Joanna Evans, who was second in 27.16. Both are members of Swift Swimming.

Perez Moss (Alpha Aquatics) won the boys’ 15-and-over event in 23.76 followed by Gershwin Greene (Barracudas) in 24.14.

Other 50m free winners included Lamar Taylor in the boys’ 13-14 (Freeport Aquatics, 24.84); Jolise Newbold in the girls’ 13-14 (Orcas, 28.88); Ishan Roy in the boys’ 11-12 (Barracudas, 28.51); Rachel Lundy in the girls’ 11-12 (Barracudas, 28.93); Marvin Johnson in the boys’ 9-10 (Freeport Aquatics), Leylah Knowles in the girls 9-10 (Alpha Aquatics, 31.86), Maxwell Daniels in the boys’ under-8 (Dolphin Swim Club, 33.40) and Daniel Passion (Freeport Aquatics, 34.24) in the girls’ under-8.

The final day of competition also included the 100 Breast, 200m Back and 400m Relay.

Full results will be posted in Tuesday’s edition of the Tribune.

With the regional and international success Bahamas Aquatics has garnered Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture, Michael Pintard, said the swimming community will be celebrated on par with any other sport for its success and a partnership with the athletes will be formed to develop a working relationship.

“The Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture is happy to work with Aquatics Federation as a partner and I wish to give you my assurance that we intend to grow swimming and other swim related sports in the Bahamas. We believe we have talent throughout the country so our focus will not be on New Providence alone. As the Minister of Sports who lives in Grand Bahama I have extra pressure on me to support sports in general,” he said, “The senior athletes, a number of whom who have participated in international meets including the Olympics, I wish to give you my assurances that we will be supportive of your efforts. We do not like the idea that some athletes have a psychological barrier when practicing because they are wondering whether or not their subvention is in place. We do not intend to put that barrier in your path but to work in an open an honest way. We believe that in this partnership athletes have rights. You carry the banner in this country. Every time you compete in behalf of the Bahamas you are flying the colors that really matter so as policy makers we have an obligation to support you and we have given our assurance that we will be responsive to requests and concerns and when you return home, you can expect in much the same way other sports have been received, that we intend to receive and celebrate you.”

RBC’s sponsorship of the event has spanned more than three decades and has recently included the addition of the academic All-Bahamian award. It represents the longest private enterprise sponsorship of a sporting organisation in the Bahamas.

“It is my distinct pleasure and honor and congratulate you for a successful event. I would also like to give special congratulations to the sponsors that have assisted the federation and individual swimmers throughout the year,” Pintard said, “It has obviously been a success, and I want to thank all of the parents, coaches, officials and especially the participants.”