In a stunning display of athletic prowess, University of Indianapolis swimmer Zachary Anthony made waves at the Invitational Age Group Championships by demolishing a quarter-century-old national record. The historic moment unfolded on December 13 at Balmain’s National Aquatic Centre in Couva, where Anthony dominated the men’s 800-meter freestyle event for swimmers aged 15 and over.
Anthony’s remarkable performance clocked in at 8 minutes and 39.04 seconds, decisively surpassing the previous record of 8:40.64 set by swimming legend George Bovell III in June 2000. This extraordinary achievement places Anthony among Trinidad and Tobago’s elite swimmers, though his time surprisingly only met the CARIFTA B standard of 9:02.27 rather than the more stringent A qualification.
The competition saw Marlins’ Isaiah Alexander securing second place with 9:30.28, nearly a full minute behind Anthony, while teammate Khadeem Brathwaite captured third at 9:38.05.
Beyond Anthony’s headline-grabbing feat, the championships witnessed multiple swimmers achieving CARIFTA qualification standards. Eleven-year-old Zahara Anthony of Marlins delivered an impressive performance in the 11-12 girls 200m freestyle, clocking 2:17.49 to meet the CARIFTA A standard of 2:17.52. Meanwhile, 14-year-old Jadon Ramdeen of RWB Aquatics demonstrated exceptional skill in the 13-14 boys’ 400m individual medley, winning with a time of 4:59.00 that comfortably exceeded the CARIFTA A requirement of 5:02.10.
The event proved particularly fruitful for emerging talent, with nine additional swimmers achieving CARIFTA B standards across various disciplines. Notable performances included Marlins’ Marena Martinez securing dual B standards in the 13-14 girls 800m free (9:46.46) and 200m free (2:15.67), along with Tennessee-based sensation Nikoli Blackman earning a B standard in the boys 15+ 200m freestyle with a winning time of 1:52.95.
The 11-12 boys 200m freestyle emerged as one of the most competitive events, with the top four finishers—Xaiden Valentine (2:11.81), Ethan Chu Fook (2:14.23), Khristian Allen (2:14.32), and Nikosi Baptiste (2:18.52)—all achieving B standard times. Competition resumed on December 14 with expectations of further record-breaking performances.