WESTERN SPORTS - Blue Marlin seven for Walter Lowi meet

Paul Clarke, Gleaner Writer

WESTERN BUREAU:

Budding swimming sensation, Hanna Johnson, will lead a team - that includes two newcomers - from the Montego Bay-based Blue Marlin Swim Club into Kingston for the Walter Lowi meet at the National Stadium pool.

Johnson will contest the girls individual medley and 200m breaststroke, backstroke and butterfly.

However, it is in the backstroke event that she is expected to perform best, having had a 2013 best of 3.14.16 seconds, which was done in October at the Dean Martin Memorial swim meet.

The rest of the team is completed by Christoff Studniczka, Travis Lemonte, Iiami Jenkins, and Alex Turnbull. Rin Gyles, Gianna Guerra, Joshua Davis, his brother Benjamin, and Raina Hutchinson complete the list of swimmers for the western-based club.

Hutchinson will make her debut, competing in the eight and under 50m freestyle, backstroke and breaststroke. So too will 10-year-old Guerra, who will compete in the 200m breaststroke, 200m individual medley, and the 400m freestyle.

Extensive practice

"I expect a strong swim in this meet because we have been doing plenty in the sea, mainly for strength and conditioning," said Rosemarie Logan, coach at Blue Marlin.

"We really are feeling good and excited about this meet because several of our swimmers achieved B times this year and should do well at this meet, including Hanna Johnson, who is really our most consistent swimmer," she said.

Johnson apart, the experience of Joshua Davis, The Manning's School's Studnizcka, Lemonte and Gyles, along with the other Davis and Benjamin, could mean Blue Marlin continue their recent good form heading into next week's ISSA High School/University swim meet, where six schools from the west are down to take part.

That list includes Cornwall College, William Knibb, The Manning's School, Montego Bay High, Herbert Morrison, and Heinz Simonitch.

"It will be a really tough assignment for the swimmers, but I have faith enough that they will do really well, especially since it is a long distance swim meet; and that I think may give us a little advantage," reasoned Logan.

- P. C.