By The BVI Swimming Federation
Elinah Philip proudly bears the BVI flag as she collects her gold for her first place finish in a time of 28.71 in the Girls 13-14 50m fly at the 2014 Carifta Games in Aruba.
The BVI Swimming Federation closes out 2014 with several historic firsts for the territory as it debuted on the world stage with appearances at the XX Commonwealth Games and at the 12th FINA World Short Course Swimming Championships. The year also saw the territory’s top swimmers scoring personal bests and setting national records.
The BVI swimming calendar started with a bang in April when, in her second appearance at the Carifta Games held in Aruba, 13 year-old Elinah Phillip captured a gold, a silver and two bronze medals while setting national records in each of those events and a Carifta record in the 50-metre butterfly. Sister Amarah Phillip, also competing at the Games, established a 50-metre freestyle personal best of 29.18 seconds.
Team BVI at the 2014 CARIFTA Swimming Championships in Aruba. From left to right: President of the BVI Swimming Federation Elsworth Philip, Secretary General Tracy Bradshaw, Amarah Philip and Elinah Philip
Photo Credit: Provided
“They both work hard all the time so we were very pleased with these outcomes,” said Elsworth Phillip, father of the girls and President of the BVI Swimming Federation. “In the next few years we hope to be able to send more swimmers to regional and international meets and we’re pleased that Amarah and Elinah are blazing the path, so to speak.”
The sisters went on to participate in the Scottish Nationals later that month but the spotlight on them intensified when they made their inaugural appearance at the XX Commonwealth Games also in Scotland, three months later in July. Their participation marked the first time swimmers have represented the BVI at the Games.
5 swimmers from the Makos Swim Club, attended the St. Thomas Swimming Association’s September Kick Off meet.
Later in the year, five swimmers from the Makos Swim Club, Kayla Roberts, Tia Roberts, Gisselle Archibald Bowers, Chakia Smith and Jayden Marshall, attended the St. Thomas Swimming Association’s September Kick Off meet. All five earned top three places in at least two of their individual events and several competitors had personal bests.
The September Kick Off in the USVI paved the way for ten athletes, a record number, to represent the BVI at the 24th OECS Swimming Championships held in St. Lucia in early November where Elinah went on to shatter five records over the weekend en route to winning 10 of the territory’s 15-medal haul.
She swam the fastest ever 200-metre IM (2:33.20), 50-metre Butterfly (29.75) and 100-metre Freestyle (59.83) in OECS history and surpassed her previous best times in the 100-metre Butterfly, and the 50-metre Freestyle. Her performance of 1:09.24 in the Butterfly was the new OECS best by more than a second. In the 50-metre Freestyle, her time of 27.52 was almost a second better than what is now second best.
In the meantime, Amarah struck silver in the 15-17 girls 100 breaststroke at 1:16.89, then tied St. Lucia’s Thalia Bergasse in the 50 freestyle as both clocked 29.39 seconds. The 15-year old also picked up silver in the 100-metre butterfly, the 50-metre backstroke and the 50-metre butterfly silver at 31.03. Amarah took fifth in three events: The 200 freestyle in 2:25.71, the 50 breaststroke in 40.02, and the 400 backstroke at 5:17.06.
“I think it was an excellent showing by the team though not everybody medalled,” Mr. Phillip said, adding that “in addition to Amarah and Elinah, we have some younger ones coming up who did great and showed a high degree of determination. Competing at this level gave them a boost and showed them the potential in the sport.”
Nine of the swimmers went on to complete their 2014 swim year with good performances at the USVI Short Course Championships in November, winning several medals. Competing for Team BVI were Jaden Marshall, Keyon Sampson, Kdejah Sampson, Kyla Roberts, Tia Roberts, Kassia Haymer, Makiva Christopher, Makeda Christopher, Chakia Smith.
Meanwhile, the BVI was represented at the 12th FINA World Swimming Championships (25m) in early December by Amarah and Elinah who both competed in the 50-metre and 100-metre freestyle and the 50-metre and 100-metre butterfly events. Organized in even years, the FINA World Swimming Championships (25m) gather the world’s fastest swimmers for a five-day, top-level showdown in a 25-metre pool. This year the event was held in Doha, Qatar.
“We’re very excited about how all of our swimmers did because it says a lot about how the sport has grown in just a few years and with the progress made by all the youngsters,” said Mr. Phillip. He added that “we expect this growth to continue as the sport is put on a more secure footing and to see more youngsters recognize it as a viable option for them if they’re not really into track and field or the more traditional sports here in the BVI.”
The BVI Swimming Federation would like to thank the following individuals, businesses and organizations who supported the BV’s swimmers throughout 2014:
Prospect Reef Resort
Christina Yates
Quality Construction
National Bank of the Virgin Islands
Bitter End Yacht Club
Drake Traders
Scotia Bank
Social Security Board
Virgin Islands Base Entertainment
CCT
Shell Gas Station
One Mart
Bobby’s Market Place
Mellow Moods
Alwin “Locca” Garraway
Maria’s by the Sea Hotel
Martin Kenney & Co. Ltd.
Harney Westwood & Riegels
BVI Apparel
BVI Olympic Committee
Ministry of Education
Byron Wheatley (Travel Wize)
All who contributed and helped with our sponsorship forms
