By BRENT STUBBS

Chief Sports Editor

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net    

THE excitement is starting to brew for the Bahamas team as they prepare to head to Trinidad & Tobago on Wednesday for their seventh straight CARIFTA Swimming Championship title.

On Saturday with just about the full contingent of the 36-member team on hand, Bahamas Aquatics held a breakfast following their practice session at the Betty Kelly Kenning Swim Complex.

Bahamas Aquatics’ president Algernon Cargill gave some remarks encouraging Team Bahamas to go out and perform their best and indicated that they are looking forward to the team winning the title again.

Also on hand was William Russell, the owner of the Athlete’s Foot, said his company always had a personal relationship with swimming from his competitive days as a swimmer on the CARIFTA team to watching his sons follow in his footsteps.

“I know how hard these kids work,” he stressed. “You’re talking sbout hours and hours in the morning and night. So, I’m just lucky to be in the business this year to help them and to reward them with some shoes.”

The team will have Travano McPhee as the head coach and he will be assisted by Jasmine Gibson, The open water coach will be Allan Murray. The female chaperone is Therell Smith and Melvin Rolle is the male chaperone.

Gibson, who hails from Grand Bahama, was pleased with what she saw as the entire came together over the weekend. 

“We’re still inside the intense side of our training and they are looking good in the after,” Gibson said. “Their feedback is they are feeling good and they are ready for competition.”

Gibson said the goal right now is to get the swimmers geared up to race in Trinidad.

Dexter Russell, one of the swimmers from Grand Bahama, said he had to make the adjustment to the intense training at the Betty Kelly Kenning Swim Complex, but he is confident that he will be able to cope in Trinidad.

Russell is entered in the boys 11-12 division where he will a workhorse in Trinidad swimming the 50m 100 and 400m freestyle 50m, 100 and 200m butterfly, 50m breaststroke and 50m backstroke.

He said he’s confident that the Bahamas will “definitely” win its seventh straight title.

Here’s a look at Team Bahamas:

Swim team

Females 11 -12 - Sienna Campbell, Skarlette Donaldson, Isabella Munroe, Taylen Nicolls and Semaiah Rolle.

Females 13 -14 - Isabella Cuccurullo, Tiah Seymour, Saleste Gibson, Siann Isaacs, DNDN McKenzie, Violet Saralegui, Kimaya Saunders and Skyler Smith.

Females 15 -17 - Tia-Isabella Adderley,  Lelah Lewis, Mia Patton, Elle Theberge, Zoe Williamson and Elyse Wood.

Males 11 -12 - Kai Bastian, Logan Comarcho, Da’Kari Cooper, Nitayo Knowles and Dexter Russell.

Males 13 -14 - Christon Joseph, Alexander Murray, Trace Russell, David Singh, Kaylan Williams and Issac Wright.

Males 15 -17 - Tristen Hepburn, William Farrington, Ellie Gibson, Ayrton Moncur, Donald Saunders and Caden Wells.

Open Water Team

Female 14 -15 - Gillian Albury, Samirah Donaldson and Madison Fox.

Female 16 -18 - Madison Gilbert,  Alanna Murray and Erin Pritchard.

Female 14 -15 - Lauchlan Menzies, Trace Russell and Kaylan Williams.

Female 16 -18 - Kevin Johnson Jr., Malcolm Menzies and Myles Saunders.

The team will be back in practice today and Tuesday before they head out on Wednesday. Their competition will take at the National Swim Complex in Trinidad from April 19-22 with the open water swim on April 23 just before they return home.