NIKOLI Blackman captured three medals for TT on the opening day of the 2022 Carifta Swimming Championships at the Barbados Aquatic Centre in Wildey, Christ Church, on Saturday.
Blackman earned silver for TT in the boys 15-17 1,500-metre freestyle. Blackman clocked 16 minutes, 37.13 seconds (16:37.13) and Martinique's Kimani Bellanger won gold in 16:35.75.
Jack Barr of Bahamas grabbed the final spot on the podium after touching the wall in 16:47.58.
Blackman also showed his prowess in shorter distances earning a bronze medal in the boys 15-17 50m backstroke in 27.47 seconds.
Maximillian Wilson of the Virgin Islands won gold in 26.81 and Nathaniel Thomas of Jamaica was second in 27.30.
TT grabbed a relay medal when Blackman, Zarek Wilson, Johann-Matthew Matamoro and Aaron Stuart won gold in 3:33.96 in the boys 15-17 4x100m freestyle. The Bahamas were second in 3:34.53 and Bermuda third in 3:38.65. In the boys 13-14 200m breaststroke, Liam Roberts of TT took bronze in 2:35.71. Roberts was leading at the halfway mark, but Dominic Hilton of Cayman Islands and Caden Wells of the Bahamas both had strong finishes.
Hilton took second spot in 2:33.64 and Wells snatched top honours with a time of 2:32.15.
Wilson took gold in the boys 15-17 100m butterfly in 56.11. Nigel Forbes and Marvin Johnson of Bahamas were second and third respectively. Forbes clocked 56.26 and Johnson stopped the clock in 56.28. Blackman was fourth in 56.33.
Alejandro Agard was another TT swimmer to win multiple medals on the first day. In the boys 11-12 200m breaststroke, Agard won gold in a time of 2:47.74.
Joey Schvartz of St Martin grabbed silver in 2:47.97 and Jamaican Kai Radcliffe claimed bronze in 2:48.45.
The TT quartet of Zachary Anthony, Roberts, Liam Carrington and Ajard copped bronze in 3:53.80 in the boys 13-14 4x100m freestyle. Bahamas won gold and Jamaica finished second.
TT swimmers continued to compete in preliminary events in the early session on Sunday in an effort to qualify for the finals.
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