Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands, 26 February 2017: The Cayman Islands Amateur Swimming Association (CIASA) announced the Junior Swimming Team that will travel to The Bahamas to compete in the 2017 CARIFTA 50 Metre Pool and Open Water Swimming Championships, 15-19 April 2017. In addition to rigorous training and meeting minimum qualification times, to be considered for selection, a swimmer must meet the following eligibility criteria:

1. Be a registered member of CIASA in good standing;

2. Have signed the 2016/2017 CIASA Representative Swim Team Agreement;

3. Have signed and agreed to Representative Team Protocols; and

4. Be between the ages of 11 — 17 as of 31 December 2016.

Swimmers have been training hard, as evidenced by the CIASA, National and Club records which fell last weekend at the Cayman Islands National Swimming Championships. Based on a review of qualifying times, athletes’ compliance with training and eligibility requirements, coaches made a recommendation to CIASA and the Team Roster was agreed and ratified by the CIASA Board of Directors on 23 February 2017. Bailey Weathers, CIASA’s Technical Director commented: “This has been already been an exciting season for so many Cayman Islands swimmers. We have seen an incredible amount of improvement and success; and we are expecting more great swims as well at CARIFTA.

Swimmers who will represent the Cayman Islands at the 2017 CARIFTA Swimming Championships are:

11-12 Girls

Allyson Belfonte*

Avery Lambert

Carmella Ylagan*

Kyra Rabess*

Raya Embury-Brown*

Sophie Ackerly*

Sophie Ellison*

Stephanie Royston

11-12 Boys

Cory Frederick-Westerborg

Finn Bishop

Jackson Haywood-Crouch*

Stefano Bonati*

Ethan Smith*

13-14 Girls

Alison Jackson

Emily Link

Holly Stradling

Ria Plunkett

Sabine Ellison

13-14 Boys

Jake Bailey

Jordan Crooks

Zachary Moore

15-17 Girls

Ella Plunkett

Lauren Hew

Sam Bailey

Sarah Jackson

15-17 Boys

Alex Dakers

Eddie Weber

John Bodden

Jonathan Key

Liam Henry

Rory Barrett

* This year we are pleased to welcome seven rookies to the team. Veteran parents and swimmers are invited to offer guidance to assist rookie swimmers and parents with paperwork and patience during what may seem a hectic few weeks ahead.

As is now the custom, the CARIFTA Squad will have a Training Camp which brings the athletes together as a teamfor pool training and team building. The Training Camp is in addition to the swimmers’ regular club training and focuses on common technical aspects of their swims such as starts, turns and relay changes. Special thanks is extended to the Cayman Islands Government and Maples for their support every year which has helped make the position of Technical Director possible, providing swimming in Cayman with a growth strategy which is seeing continued positive growth. Additionally Davenport Development is into its third of a three year commitment to help fund representative team events and DART, through its sponsorship of the recent National Championships also supports the Junior Representative Team. CIASA is pleased to be able to provide much of the funding for this trip, from funds raised at the recent Gala Fundraising Dinner with Cayman’s own home grown Olympian Brett Fraser, raffle ticket sales and the Third Annual CIASA golf tournament held on 24 February. However, with such a large team travelling, the team and parents will also be pulling together to raise additional funds for the trip. In addition to travel expenses, there will be additional costs for accommodations, meals and gear, so please — when you see a swimmer approaching with a raffle ticket book in hand — be generous.

Michael Lockwood, CIASA President; a competitive swimmer in his youth and now a masters swimmer, was delighted with the announcement of the team. “The CARIFTA 2017 qualification times were announced in September 2016, with the qualification process being tweaked just a little to acknowledge the increasing number of swimmers achieving the faster qualification times. Swimmers were required to achieve a minimum of two (2) qualification times. This requirement notwithstanding, we have seen some outstanding results and this year CIASA is proud to announce a team of 31 swimmers will attend CARIFTA 2017. This is the largest swimming delegation ever.”

“I would like to congratulate all of our swimmers,” commented the Hon. Minister of Sport, Osbourne Bodden. “Swimming requires incredible commitment, discipline and focus … and many early hours at the pool. I also want to thank our athletes’ parents for the support and often referenced ‘swim taxi service’ which they provide. On behalf of the Ministry of Sports and the Cayman Islands Government we wish you all success in the Bahamas.”

Associate Head Coaches Caleb Miller and David Pursley and Asst. Coach and Team Manager Bailey Weathers will accompany the CARIFTA Team travelling to the Bahamas.