QUEEN'S COLLEGE and a resurgent St Michael School have emerged as the biggest challengers to Harrison College retaining the 2009 Powerade Secondary Schools' Swimming Championships.

During yesterday's preliminaries at the Aquatic Centre, swimmers from Harrison College did the task in qualifying, although they were hit by a few disqualifications.

Zabrina Holder - formerly of The Lodge School, and now at The St Michael School where her older sister Zandel is a teammate - has the fastest qualifying time in the Girls' 12-and-Under 100 metres freestyle and 50M butterfly. However, she will face stiff competition from Deandre Small and Inayah Sherry of Harrison College.

Christian Selby of Queen's College seems to be the most dominant male in his age group, while Jonathan Manning of The St Michael School has also been doing very well.

The 13-14 age-group also seems to be a very competitive one, with the winners coming from among Rebecca Clarke and Lee-Ann Rose of Queen's College, Rhea Babb of Deighton Griffith, and Heidi Barrow and Zhane Padmore of Harrison College. Crystal Jordan-Browne, the only representative from Alleyne School, also swam well in this age-group, reaching the final in all her events except the 50-metre backstroke.

St Michael has been ably led by Darren Beckles and Jason Cummins in the 13-to-14 age group. The likes of Jamal Forte and Kedar Carter of Queen's College, as well as Tristan Ward and Gabriel Gunby of Harrison College, will make for some very good finals.

Lani Cabrera has been a big boost to the Harrison College girls. The former St Ursula's student has some of the fastest qualifying times in the 15-and-Over age-group along with Kristyn Kirton.

Among the boys, the silent but effective Justin Babb of Queen's College is making quite a splash. He and Matthew Wright will be up against Shomari Powell and Warren Kellman of Harrison College.

The finals will be held on November 18. (SAT)