While some sporting disciplines in Barbados have recently experienced the embarrassment caused by participants’ use of performance enhancing drugs, president of the Barbados Amateur Swimming Association Tony Selby is pleased swimming is not among the,.
He made this comment during their awards ceremony to acknowledge 2017 achievements at the Radisson Aquatica Resort on Sunday evening.
“In today’s world of sport where significant amounts of money can be obtained from achieving success, some of our athletes have used banned substances to achieve results, and athletes in other sports in Barbados have been found guilty of banned drugs to enhance their performances.
“I am happy to report that none of the athletes of the aquatics in Barbados have been found guilty of such activities and we trust that will continue forever,” said Selby.
Drawing reference to the United States gymnastics team, he said the topic of sexual abuse of athletes had also been prominent on the news.
He reminded managers, coaches, administrators and officials that they were placed in a position of trust and were expected to protect the swimmers.
Present at the awards were swimming stalwart Maurice Foster, Barbados Olympic Association general manager Glyne Clarke and secretary general Erskine Simmons.
Selby said the water polo teams showed improvement, with the 16-and-under squad placing second at the CARIFTA Championships while the 18-and-under team finished third.
Barbados’ young swimmers also qualified for the Youth Pan American Games in July but missed out on a spot at the CAC Games.
The president added that both the short and long course athletes performed well during the year. Danielle Titus and Jack Kirby competed at the Junior World Championships in the United States and the Youth Commonwealth Games in the Bahamas, where Kirby made the final in two events.
He also met qualifying times in the Youth Olympics in the 50 metres and 100 metres backstroke events, becoming the first Barbadian swimmer to achieve that feat.
Selby went on to say that synchronized swimming was faced with several challenges, having been excluded from the 2017 CARIFTA Championships.
In his address, Simmons told the audience the BOA would be covering the full cost of upcoming events such as the Commonwealth Games in Australia, CAC Games and the Youth Olympic Games in Argentina.
Titus was named the Most Outstanding Senior Female swimmer in 2017, the Best Overall Female Performer during CCCAN, Best Overall Female Performer in the Commonwealth Youth Games and the FINA World Championships. She also captured the Leah Martindale Most Valuable Swimmer Award.
Alex Sobers was named the Most Outstanding Senior Male and the Best Overall Performer during the FINA World Swimming Championships. (RG)
