weekend.

Graham Smith, who won two silvers, was the most successful of the 18-strong Island team at the Ralph Hicken meet at the Mississaugua Aquatic Club in southern Ontario.

The Bermuda team finished 11th out of 28 competing clubs from eastern Canada in an event featuring more than 700 swimmers.

Smith earned his second places in the 15-and-over boys 100 and 200 metres breaststroke events.

Ronald Cowen swam consistently well and took bronze in the boys 15 and over 100m freestyle.

Smith, Cowen and Stephen Fahy, who represented Bermuda at last year's Sydney Olympics, have all qualified for the World Swimming Championships in Japan in July.

And Bermuda now have 10 swimmers qualified for the CCCAN Games for countries from the Caribbean and Central American region in Santo Domingo in July.

Anastasia Lau won a bronze medal in the girls 13-14 100m breastroke, while Darren Woods also took bronze in the boys 13-14 50m freestyle.

Woods, along with Trevor Johnstone and Cori Bulford, won particular praise from national coach Richard Goodwin for performing well despite their inexperience.

Asked what had pleased him most about the team performance, he said: "Probably the way the rookies, if that's the right word, managed themselves on this trip.

"For some, it was their first time swimming away and for five of them, it was their first time in a long-course pool.

"For them to come up with such excellent swims under those circumstances was very pleasing.'' Johnstone produced outstanding swims in the boys 13-14 50m and 100m freestyle.

Stephen Kenny swam superbly in all his boys 13-14 events, recording six top-10 finishes and qualifying for the CCCAN Games in three different events.

Also in outstanding form was Roy Allen Burch, who has just turned 15. Swimming in the boys 15 and over age group, Burch recorded a fourth place finish in the 50m freestlye. Ashley and Kiera Aitken also produced solid swims.

Goodwin said with the Mississagua event spanning the entire weekend, it had been gruelling for the swimmers.

"It was non-stop from Friday to late on Sunday evening,'' said the coach.

"It takes a lot of energy from both swimmers and officials to keep the momentum going right through.

"We finished 11th and that was not something we were looking to do. We were one of the smaller teams there, so it was a good effort.

"I'd like to think this was not just an early-season flash in the pan and that we could build on this with improved performances in July.'' The national championships take place next month and will form part of the basis of selection for the CCCAN Games three weeks later, when the likes of Mexico, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Venezuela, Cuba and Puerto Rico will be among the most formidable opponents.