TRINIDAD and Tobago swimmer Dylan Carter splashed to his first podium finish at the World Aquatics Swimming World Cup in Germany when he captured bronze in the men’s 100m freestyle in Berlin on Saturday.

Carter, 27, touched the wall in 48.97 seconds and finished behind 22-year-old winner Thomas Ceccon (47.97s) of Italy and silver recipient Australian Zac Incerti (48.55s).

In the preliminary round, he topped the field in heat nine of ten, clocking 48.68s, swimming out of lane four. Overall, he was the fastest qualifier.

But in his first event on Saturday, swimming out of lane five in heat three of five, of the 50m backstroke, Carter was fourth fastest to the wall in 26.08s and missed out on a chance for the medal race. His time was the 17th fastest overall.

Similarly on Friday, in his opening event, 50m freestyle, the TT Olympic swimmer finished a surprising eighth in the final. He recorded the sixth (0.66s) fastest reaction but was unable to improve in the pool and touched the wall in a rare 23.75s.

In the earlier heats, Carter qualified third fastest for the final after winning the eighth of nine heats in 22.20s.

Additionally, he will have another chance at sealing a podium place in Berlin on Sunday, when he lines up in the 50m butterfly. Carter vies for a spot in the final swimming out of lane four in heat five of seven. This race swims off at 3.27am (TT time) and the final, at 12:33pm.

Carter won the overall men’s individual title by capturing nine gold medals at last year’s World Cup. However, because of his two non-podium performances across this leg, he’s already had a setback to retaining the crown.

The second leg of the three-tie series swims off in Athens, Greece on Friday, with the final leg in Hungary, the following weekend.

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