By BRENT STUBBS

Chief Sports Editor

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

TEAM Bahamas produced another splashing performance, winning the Goodwill Games Swimming Championships for the third consecutive year in Bridgetown, Barbados, over the weekend.

“This was definitely one of the more difficult Goodwill Games that we have ever won because the competition was obviously fierce,” said head coach Dwayne Davis Jr.

“After the first day, we were only up by five and-a-half points. We persevered and we moved into first place by about 50-plus points and we ended up winning by 94 in the end.”

The 40-member team, managed by Bernadette Jolly, returned home on Monday after collecting a total of 1,324 points to top the field that was followed by Jamaica with 1,230 for second with Trinidad & Tobago getting third with 1,028.

Team Bahamas also topped the medal count with 110, including 31 gold, 40 silver and 39 bronze. Jamaica was second with 48 gold, 26 silver and 27 bronze for 101 medals.

Davis Jr, who was assisted by Ashton Knowles and Drew Lightbourne, said they were trailing at the end of day one and they knew that they had a mission to complete and they soared by over the final two days to secure the deal.

Team Bahamas ended up with three high point winners in Skyrah Chambers in the 8-and-under girls, Grace Nottage in the 9-10 girls and Rafael McBroom in the boys’ 15-17 division. 

McBroom was also among the record breakers at the meet. He erased the previous mark of 27.70 seconds that was set by Jeremy Sanpson in the 50m backstroke in 2015 by clocking 26.68; he lowered the 100m freestyle record to 52.83; the 100m backstroke in 58.88; the 200m IM in 2:11.24; the 100m butterfly in 57.03 and the 50m backstroke in 26.68.

Not done, McBroom also teamed up with Jah Chatlani-Pickstock, Dijon Simmons and Michael Fox also established a pair of records in the 200m medley relay in 1:47.95, surpassing the old mark of 1:50.99 and the 400m medley in 4:00.65.

Nottage also teamed up with Hannah Astwood, Rinia Johnson and Katelih-Dahlia Hanna to clinch the records in the girls 9-10 400m medley relay in 5:25.85, the 200m medley relay in 2:22.90 and the 200m freestyle in 2:02.94.

Samirah Donaldson also inked her name in the record books with her winning performance of 35.52 in the girls 13-14 50m breaststroke event.

Also a part of the management team were Dr William Hamilton, who was the medical personnel; Jenna Gibson, the physical therapy and Jade McCartnery.

Now that they are back home, Davis Jr said the goal is to prepare for a four-peat next year in Trinidad & Tobago for the 30th edition of the games.