COLE BAY--Learning Unlimited won the 15th Caribbean Gems Inter-schools Elementary Meet on Sunday. Their girls and boys team both took first place making the Learning Unlimited the undisputed winners for the second year running. Carib Swim Team hosted the meet that was attended by eight schools, Caribbean International Academy (CIA) Learning Unlimited (LU), Methodist Agogic Centre (MAC), St. Dominic’s, St Maarten Montessori School, Sister Magda, Sister Regina and Hillside Christian School. Teams were up to 16 swimmers.
LU and Sr. Magda both entered two teams which was allowed under the meet rules. In total over 130 pupils from grades 1-6 represented their schools swimming in 20 events. All four competitive strokes were swum during the meet, backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly and freestyle over distances of 25, 50 and 100 metres. Each swimmer could swim 2 individual races and one relay race.CST pool was heaving with excited swimmers, their parents and supporters and even a brief spell of rain could not dampen spirits. There was much cheering and melodious MAC mothers ensured that they received the Supporters Cup for their singing and cheering for MAC swimmers. Pupils from as young as 5 years old swam and demonstrated their skills at the meet. All swimmers received a Caribbean Gems competitor’s ribbon and even those who did not win medals, scored points for their teams. LU’s winning team scored 546 points. In second place was the Sister Magda Sharks team with their girls team coming third and boys team coming second giving a total of 514 points. In third place was the CIA team whose girls team came second and boys team came fifth totaling 465 points. Montessori followed with 402 points, their boys’ team having taken third place. Then came St. Dominic with 347 points, Sister Regina with 246 points, LU 2 with 220 points, MAC with 212, Sister Magda Dolphins 107 and Hillside Christian (with 2 swimmers) 49 points.Special mention goes to the following swimmers who were the highest point scorers for their age groups.
Girls 7 and under: in joint first place Suus van Sleeuwen (Sr Regina) and Lina Acharrat (CIA) and third Savarna Singh (Sr Magda)
Boys 7 and under: in first place Maxime Gibbs (LU), second Maik Croes (Sr Magda), and third Daniel Tjon-Tam-Pau (Sr Magda)
Girls 8-9: in first place Emese Wurth (LU), second Holly Wilcox (LU) and all tying for third, Malikia Esdaile (MAC), Emma Lennox (LU), Maya Speetjens (Sr Magda) and Emma Croes (Sr Magda)
Boys 8-9: in first place Bobby Gibson (LU), and all tying for second, Marnix Beishuizen (LU), Yann Poisot (Montessori) and Nigel Fontenelle (St Dominic)
Girls 10 and over: in joint first place Samantha Sollinger (CIA) and Ava Kopec (LU) and in joint third, Camila Ferland (LU) and Micah Sinke (CIA)
Boys 10 and over: in first place Sacha Gibbs (LU) and in joint second place Oliver de Vries (Sr Magda) and Carlos Lopez (CIA.)
