PIRATES SWIM CLUB of Barbados placed third overall at the ninth Rodney Heights Invitational Swim Meet in St Lucia last weekend.

Pirates' 28 swimmers brought home a total of 98 medals – 40 gold, 30 silver and 28 bronze – and set 19 records.

The Grenfin Swim Club of Grenada won the meet, with hosts Rodney Heights Aquatic Club placing second.

The meet, which was contested in a 25-metre pool, attracted more than 250 swimmers. Thirteen teams – from St Lucia, Grenada, Barbados, Carriacou and Petite Martinique and St Maarten – took part.

Ten-year-old Christian Selby was the most outstanding of the Pirates competitors, who ranged in ages from five to 52. He swam unbeaten, winning 13 gold medals and breaking seven individual meet records.

These were the 400-metre freestyle, 100-metre individual medley, 100-metre butterfly, 200-metre breaststroke, 100-metre free, 200-metre free and 100-metre breast.

Selby was also age-group champion for the Boys' nine-to-ten age-group, amassing a total of 117 points with his 13 gold medal wins.

Six-year-old Ajani Yarde set a new record in the Boys' six-and-under 25-metre freestyle.

He was also the six-and-under boys' age-group champion, winning gold in the 25-metre breaststroke, 25-metre freestyle,
25-metre backstroke, 50-metre freestyle and 50-metre breaststroke.

Alison Pile set six records in the women's 18-and-over masters in the 100-metre individual medley, 100-metre freestyle, 100-metre backstroke, 50-metre backstroke, 200-metre freestyle and 800-metre freestyle. Pile placed first in her age-group, winning six gold medals.

Other outstanding performances came from eight-year-old Hannah Gill who set a new meet record in the Girls' seven-to-eight
25-metre freestyle, winning in 17.72 seconds.

Gill, who also received the gold medal in the 25-metre fly and 50-metre breaststroke, was second overall in her age-group.

Two more outstanding performances came from Rebecca Clarke and Aautumn Wharton, who placed second overall in the Girls' 11-12 and nine-ten age groups, respectively.

Clarke won the gold medal in the 400-metre freestyle, 200-metre freestyle and 200-metre breaststroke, while Wharton won the 50-metre freestyle, 50-metre backstroke, 50-metre fly, 100-metre free and 200-metre freestyle.

Jack Kirby placed third overall in the Boys' eight-and-under group, taking home the silver medal in the 100-metre freestyle. Andrew Kirby set a record in the men's 18-and-over 200-metre freestyle (2:27.21 seconds).

Pirates' eight-and-under mixed relay team of Jack Kirby, Kobi Talma, Ayodele Yarde and Hannah Gill set a record with their golden performance in the 200-metres freestyle relay.

In addition, two records were broken by Alexis Clarke, Aautumn Wharton, Kai Proverbs and Hannah Gill in the Girls' ten-and-under 200-metres medley relay and the Girls' ten-and-under 200-metre free relay.

The Pirates team was led by head coach Enrico McConney. (PR)