By BRENT STUBBS

Chief Sports Editor

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net    

WITH just about all of the 36-members in place, Team Bahamas is looking forward to making the trip to Trinidad & Tobago on a quest for their seventh straight CARIFTA Swimming Championship title.

The 14 swimmers from Grand Bahama joined up with the swimmers from New Providence as they went through a vigorous training session yesterday at the Betty Kelly Kenning Swim Complex.

The remaining swimmers who are off to school in the United States are expected home for the final two practices today and Wednesday before the team leaves at 2pm Wednesday. They are scheduled to return home at 6pm on Wednesday, April 23. 

Team manager Celestial Darville said they may have changed some faces in the past seven years that The Bahamas has won the title, but they have another quality team to represent the country. “Right now, we are slowing down to get ready to taper,” Darville said. “We won’t be training as hard. We want them to get their minds right and be ready to compete.”

She noted that Team Bahamas’ schedule during the year has enabled the swimmers to co-mingle together as they come together as national team members.

“The kids already know each other. We’re already one unit and the kids are always working very hard to get on Team Bahamas so it makes it that easy for them when they get on the team because they understand the Bahamas.”

As the six-time champions of the top regional junior swimming meet, Darville said The Bahamas will have targets on their back, but she is confident that Team Bahamas will prevail.

Assistant coach Gibson said she’s excited sbout what the team has to do in Trinidad to get the seven-peat and she too is eager to see them achieve it.

“This is a good team. We looked at the psych sheet and from what we’ve seen, a lot of them will be bringing home medals,” she said. “So based on that, we know that we will win the title for the seventh time.

“The swimmers from Grand Bahama are all looking great and they are fitting right in with the swimmers from New Providence. So there’s no concern right now.”

When the streak started in 2017 at the Betty Kelly Kennig Swim Complex, Gibson was on the team in her final year as a swimmer. She was coached then by Travano McPhee and now she’s travelling as his assistant coach. “I was a team captain that year, so it was very exciting,” she said. “That year it was in The Bahamas, so the excitement from the crowd actually helped us to get the win. We were pumped up and we knew what we had to do. 

“Now it’s truly an honour to be back on the team as the assistant coach to Travano. I’m eager to see what we do in Trinidad. With such a strong team, we will definitely keep the streak going. This isn’t going to end now.”

McPhee, who served as the head coach for each of the seven victories, said it is good to have Gibson back as an assistant coach after she made her contribution as a swimmer. 

“It’s good to see our former swimmers, those who have been there and done it, like Allan Murray, who heads the open water swim team, take part of making history for The Bahamas and making swimming great in the county.”

Caden Wells, now in his fourth straight appearance on the team, starting in 2022 in Barbados, said he’s very confident with the team assembled. 

“I am away in school in the (United) States and I’ve been back for three days now and coach Travano is training us just right,” said Wells, who attends McCallie School in Chattanooga, Tennessee. 

“Everyone is disciplined, everyone is ready to show the hard work they have put in and I’m feeling excited. I know that we will do very well. I expect nothing but greatness from this team.”

Wells, 18, will be competing in six individual and three relay events in the boy 15-18 age group.

Ayrton Moncur, in his second CARIFTA, will be competing in six individual events as well as a couple of relays. 

But the 18-year-old student of Woodberry Forest School in Virginia said he’s honoured to be on this talented team. “To actually see all of these swimmers in the pool training and having your whole country on your back watching is a great feeling,” he said. 

“I think the team is very capable to completing the seventh-peat. 

“We have a lot of talented swimmers working hard in and out of the pool and coach Travano and the coaching staff have done a tremendous job to get us ready.”

Tiah Seymour, one of the latest additions to the team, said she’s excited to be representing The Bahamas in these swimming championships.

“This will be my second time competing,” said the 13-year-old 8th grader at Summit Academy who will be swimming in the 50m freestyle and 50m backstroke and possibly on a few relay teams.

“Hopefully I will medal in  my events and we’ll bring home a seventh win.”

Not only was it all seriousness, but Seymour, like some of the other swimmers, got a chance to participate in a water challenge. After being nominated and nominating someone to participate, Seymour said it was “super fun” getting dosed with the ice-cold bucket of water. 

Also a part of Team Bahamas is the competitors in the open water swim. They won’t be in competition until the end of the swimming competition on Tuesday.

Madison Gilbert, one of the members of the team, is back for her second, but this time the 15-year-old 19th grader at Queen’s College will only be concentrating on the open water swim.

“I’m looking forward to swimming in Trinidad because all of the open water swims I’ve done have been right here in the Bahamas,” she said. 

“It would be nice to do it in a different environment,” she said.

“It’s going to be different as well because the open water swim takes a lot of time, so you have to really sit down and think about what you are going to do.”

Madison Fox, a 14-year-old also competing in open water, said she’s honoured to be making her debut on the CARIFTA team and she’s excited about doing very well. “It’s been tough, but a lot more shocking to be on the team,” she said. 

“I’m looking forward to seeing everybody race. I believe that everybody will do very well.”

At this stage, McPhee said it’s only a matter of instilling into the minds of the swimmers a collective effort to continue with the winning tradition.

“All of these swimmers have never lost CARIFTA. They have a winning attitude, a winning spirit and they have some of the greatest team captains we have ever selected and they are doing a great job.

“We’re getting closer to having a full team, so we’re building on that team chemistry. I’m very confident in this team and they know the task and they are going to get the job done.”