the Caribbean Championships in July.

Times posted by Lyndsay Taylor, 16, in the 200-metre freestyle, and Scott Simmons, 13, in the 50m free, were among eight qualifying times reached during Bermuda Amateur Swimming Association's second Spring Meet on Saturday.

Swimmers meeting additional qualifying times to those already achieved were Tamika Williams (50 and 100m free), Stephen Troake (100m free), Nuri Latham (100m free), Ronald Cowen (100m back) and Lesley Smith (200 free).

Cowen, 17, had first place finishes in the 200m individual medley, 100m back and 100m free. In the latter, he edged Troake, his national squad team-mate, by two hundredths of a second. Troake also won the 50m free and 200m back.

Kiera Aitken, 14, continued her impressive start to the season with a first and two second place finishes in the 200m, 100m and 50m free, respectively.

Williams was first in the 50m and 100m free.

Graham Smith, 15, won the 100m and 200m breaststroke and came second to Cowen in the 200m IM.

Qualifying times are the minimum time required for consideration for the team but do not guarantee a place in the team. Meet restrictions limit only two swimmers from each country to compete in one event.

The Caribbean Championships, to be held in Barbados, are one of three important meets on the horizon for Island swimmers. The CAC Games are in Venezuela in August and the Commonwealth Games are in Malaysia in September.