Micah Alexander of RWB Aquatic Academy and Marena Martinez of Marlins were the dominant performers when the Aquatic Sports Association of T&T (ASATT) National Age-Group Short Course Swimming Championship continued at the National Aquatic Centre in Balmain, Couva on Friday night.
Alexander was untouchable in the 11-12 Boys' category, completing a beaver-trick of wins in the 100-metre freestyle (a sub-minute 59.19), the 50m backstroke, 100m breaststroke and the 200m butterfly.
Firstly, Alexander won the 100m freestyle in 59.19 seconds, with Marlins duo Ethan Clarke (1:01.71) and Dax Harris (1:02.33) taking the second and third positions, respectively.
Alexander then added gold in the 50m backstroke when he touched the wall first in 30.98, with Eli Edwards of Aqua Darts second in 31.20 and Keenan Serrette of Tidal Wave Aquatics third in 32.74.
He then won the 100m breaststroke in 1:15.82 with Kamden Williams of Blue Dolphins, taking silver in 1:18.97, and Khalil Brathwaite of Barracudas, the bronze in 1:20.91.
In his final swim on the night, the 200m butterfly, Alexander won the title in 2:44.08 with Harris, second this time around in 2:47.17, and Serrette, third in 2:47.62.
Martinez of Marlins almost matched him stroke for stroke in the 13-14 Girls' age-group division as she ended with a hat-trick of gold medals in the 100m freestyle, 50m backstroke and 200m butterfly.
A multiple medal winner at the Carifta Games Open Water swim and two-time reigning Subway Open Water champion, Martinez swam to victory in the 100m freestyle in 1:00.99, well clear of RWB's Zalayhar Lewis (1:04.28) and Tidal Wave Aquatics' Kimari Antoine (1:05.35).
She then outswam her rivals in the 50m backstroke with a winning time of 32.17, with Lewis again in the second spot in 32.86 while Ra'el Anatol-Morgan of Aqua Darts, third in 33.73.
In the 200m butterfly, Martinez dominated with a winning time of 2:37.21, with Antoine second in 2:57.87.
Among the other outstanding performers on the night were Zahara Anthony, Nikosi Baptiste, and Jaden Mills, who each picked up two wins on the night.
The 12-year-old Anthony of Marlins broke the one-minute barrier to win the 11-12 Girls' 100m freestyle in 59.71 with Serenity Pantin of Bluefin Aquatics second in 1:03.44, and Katelon Leera of RWB, third in 1:07.05 before she added the 200m butterfly crown in 2:46.68 with Leera (2:54.86), and Na'Ziya George of Marlins who ended in 3:03.91 completing the podium line-up.
Rivas Titans' Baptiste took top honours in the 13-14 Boys' 100m freestyle in 54.63, just ahead of Bluefin Aquatics' Khristian Allen (54.81) and RWB's Kyle Leera (56.61).
In the 13-14 Boys' 50m backstroke, Baptiste won in 28.84, beating Bluefin Aquatics' Khristian Allen (29.71) and RWB's Kyle Leera (30.02) into the second and third positions, respectively.
USA-based Flying Fish swimmer Mills captured gold in the 15-17 Boys' 100m freestyle in 50.61, with his clubmate Aaron Colthrust taking the second spot in 52.41 and Marlins' Jannai Applewhaite, third in 52.63, before he also won the 50m backstroke in 26.23, followed by Applewhaite (26.97) and Flying Fish's Nathaniel St Louis (27.19).
The championship, which ends today, carries particular weight in 2026 as they serve as this country's final qualifier for the 30th Goodwill Swimming Championships, with the national team to be selected in the week ahead. The Goodwill meet will be hosted at the National Aquatic Centre from August 14-16.
