50 medals for Bahamas swim team.

Grand Bahama's six athletes that made up the CARIFTA 36-member Swim team returned home yesterday, having assisted The Bahamas in collecting 50 medals, 22 of which were gold.

Peter Farquharson, Taryn Smith, Mya Albury, John Bradley, Evante Gibson and Delano McIntosh are all members of the YMCA Waverunners Club. Also travelling with the team as one of the coaches was Stacey Bradley.

When the team arrived in New Providence from Aruba Monday morning, they were met by Government and sporting officials.

Minister of State for Youth and Sports the Hon. Byran Woodside was also on-hand at the Lynden Pindling Interna-tional Airport to greet the team.

He congratulated the youngsters for their outstanding performances, which earned The Bahamas third-place in the overall results. Team Bahamas came in behind the French Antilles and Trinidad.

Later in the afternoon the Grand Bahama contingent of athletes returned to Freeport and were greeted by excited parents and well-wishers.

"The team had a big challenge going into this year's CARIFTA," said assistant coach Bradley. "It didn't look like we were going to do all that well going into this year's competition."

Bradley explained that the team was not seeded well, "we had kids in 15th, 18th and 20th position.

"But we went over there and despite that they stepped up to the plate."

Reiterating that the young swimmers collected a total of 50 medal of which 22 were gold, Bradley noted that the swimmers had quality performances.

"We broke 15 CARIFTA records and we broke 10 National records," she added, "we couldn't ask more of those kids."

Bradley noted that last year the team collected more medals than they did this year; however, this year was more quality swims.

"We had one girl who made the Olympic cut, so she is going to Bejing. We had two girls that were really close so they will be making the Olympic cut and going.

"The competition was stiff this year and a lot of the kids moved up into higher age groups, but like I said they stepped up to the plate and performed."

Unfortunately for one of Grand Bahama's top young male swimmers, John Bradley, who was diagnosed with pneumonia while in Aruba. "Despite that he still competed and did well. He came fourth overall in the 400m free, which is a distance swim and is difficult swimming with pneumonia.

"We had two new competitors, Taryn Smith and Peter Farquharson, who had never been to CARIFTA before. They were up against long odds, but they both made finals and points for the country.

"Evante made medals, Delano made medals and Mya. They all medalled ... Freeport is strong, they are all swimmers from the YMCA and they all did a fantastic job."

John said that despite his illness he did his best. He also praised the team for stepping up despite the tough competition.

source The Freeport News