Golden girl Rebecca Sharpe signed off with a hat-trick of golds as Bermuda grabbed their biggest medal haul at the Carifta Swimming Championships in Aruba.

The team arrived back on the Island last night, walking off the plane and straight into a throng of cheering supporters.

And although Sharpe wasn't among them, having returned to school in the US, her golden hat-trick was the highlight of the hugely successful trip.

Competing in her final Carifta championships, Sharpe left the opposition trailing in her wake as she won the 50m, 100m, and 200m backstroke, all in record times.

"Rebecca displayed great strength and composure throughout the competition and I am immensely proud of what she has achieved," said coach Ben Smith. "Her swims could not have been any better."

In a memorable championships for the Island's swimmers, Morgan Hopkins bagged a further two gold medals, as well as a silver and bronze, as the Bermuda team took away an impressive 12 medals overall.

As well as claiming a record number of medals, the Bermuda team also set three Carifta records, two Bermuda Open records and 23 Bermuda age group records.

"This has undoubtedly been the most successful trip in Bermuda swimming history," said coach Richard Goodwin.

"I am delighted with the performance of all of the swimmers of the team; they have all performed in an outstanding fashion.

"I believe this is a clear indication that the National programme we have instituted has amply proven its worth.

"Our programme's potential will only get better with the inclusion of a world class swimming facility."

Hopkins began her week in blistering form in the 200m breaststroke, knocking seven seconds off her own personal best in the heats, and setting a new record for the 13-14 age group with a time of 2:50.25.

"Morgan is only now starting to show her true potential and ability and it was rewarding to see this amply displayed in her performances," said Smith.

Ashley Yearwood snatched a gold medal in the 50 metres butterfly event, with a gutsy display of talent and determination, whilst her sister Nicole backed up Sharpe's effort in the 100 metres backstroke with a bronze of her own. The conclusion of the medal haul came with Nick Thomson's swim in the 50 metres freestyle on the last day of the competition.

Earlier in the championships Jason Mastalir set the tone for Bermuda's performance as he smashed Michael Cash's long-standing 1500 metres freestyle record, on the opening day.

Cash set the previous 1500m freestyle record of 17 minutes 30.46 seconds at the Commonwealth Games in Auckland in 1990. But Mastalir crushed that by a whopping 30 seconds, coming in with a time of 16:59.93.

It was also a new Carifta record for the 17-18 age group, erasing the previous best time by almost a minute. It was no surprise then when Mastalir claimed the gold in the 200m backstroke, and added the bronze medal in the 100m event to his collection.

"It [the gold medal] was a tremendous effort against formidable competition," said Smith.

Stephanie Myles also broke a long-standing Bermuda record when she had a great start to her long course season in the 15 to 17 age group.

Myles won her heat in the 800m freestyle in a time of 9:50.26, which was a new age group and Bermuda record, beating the previous best of 9:52.48 set by Alicia Mullan in 1997 in Cuba.