Georgetown : Seventeen young swimmers who will be participating in the Goodwill swimming championship in Barbados were given a send off by Minister of Culture Youth and Sport, Dr. Frank Anthony at his office on Main Street.
The team which comprises 11 males and six females between the ages of 9-17 years will leave today for the Caribbean island.
Minister Anthony wished the team well and urged that they do their best as they endeavour to win the championship.
“As a Government, we see swimming as one of the most important areas of sport and that is why so much was invested in the 50-metre pool,” Minister Anthony said. He was referring to the pool at the National Aquatic Centre at Liliendaal.
He also highlighted that the 25-metre warm-up pool will be installed by year – end as the contract was awarded and the contractor has already manufactured the pool. However, the foundation for the pool has to be done and Minister Anthony announced that a local company will be awarded that contract by next week.
“With all these investments, we don’t expect overnight results, but we expect good results,” he said as he urged persons to make full use of the facility.
Minister Anthony said that the ministry will look at expanding the partnership between Cuba and the Ministry to have coaches rendering assistance, not only to swimmers, but athletes and boxers.
He added that ministry has not been optimising the use of the facility at Liliendaal due the lack of local coaches and life guards.
Currently there are vacancies for about eight persons in the area of swimming and the Ministry will be looking at the possibility of training the young swimmers.
“We are willing to train, certify and employ,” Minister Anthony pointed out. He charged the swimmers to look at a career in swimming, not only to compete but other aspects of the sport.
Team manager, Ivan Persaud said the swimmers are well prepared and that both morning and evening sessions of the training were well attended.
Persaud said that the country has never attended with a full 40 member team and he hopes that very shortly with the support of Government, the technical developmental strategy of the sport will be improved.
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