Masters swimmers enjoy medal feast
and Caribbean Masters championships in Barbados.
It was the first time a local team had competed in the three-year-old event, with the Island represented by seven female and nine male swimmers.
Bermuda's contingent won a total of 49 medals in the five-day event -- 15 gold, 12 silver and 22 bronze.
The swimmers were so successful that Kris Cash and Duncan Newby, the coaches accompanying the team, said later that it's possible a masters association would be formed locally.
The association would then arrange local events and encourage local swimmers to compete in more overseas meets.
Ten of the swimmers picked up medals in individual events with Annette Budge leading the haul with three gold medals in the 200 metres breaststroke, 200 metres relay and 200 metres butterfly.
Budge also captured two silver medals (200 and 400 freestyle) and was a bronze medallist in the 100 breaststroke.
Kris Cash was the recipient of two silver medals (100 butterfly and 100 freestyle) and a pair of bronze medals (200 back, 200 free). Claire Mancell grabbed silver in three events -- 800 free, 50 fly and 100 free -- to go with three bronze medals in the 200 and 400 free and 200 relay.
Other gold medals were won by Sarah Manuel in the 100 and 200 back, Caroline Mitchell in the 100 breast and Chris Smith in the 400 free.
The women's 4x50 metres freestyle team of Kris Cash, Jamie Jared, Sarah Manuel and Annette Budge won gold while Jared, Cash, Helen Hall and Budge picked up a gold in the 4x50 metres medley.
Budge, meantime, finished first in the women's division in a three-kilometre ocean swim.
The next championships will take place in 1997 in Mexico.
BARBADOS BONANZA -- Local swimmers were in the mood for medals during the Latin American and Caribbean Masters Championships. Pictured in back row are (left to right) Steve Baker, Paul Oliver, Sam Donaldson, Sarah Manuel, Kris Cash, Guy Kelly and Mike Parrish. Middle row: Duncan Newby, Helen Hall, Claire Mancell, Caroline Mitchell, Jamie Jared and Annette Budge. Front: Chris Smith, Mark Keegan and Jim McNichols.
