The 39th edition of the CARIFTA Aquatics Championships kicked off in Martinique from April 3 to 8, bringing together more than 400 elite young swimmers from 24 Caribbean nations and territories to compete for regional glory. Among the competing delegations, four young male swimmers represented St. Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG), turning in a series of standout results that extended the country’s impressive medal streak at the event.
The quartet was split across two age divisions: Kione Deshong and Caghry Williams competed in the 13–14 age bracket, competing in their first year of eligibility in this group, while Hazen Dabriel and Matthew Ballah entered the 15–17 age division.
Deshong, 13, made history for SVG as the first male swimmer to earn medals in his debut year of the 13–14 age group. He claimed a silver medal in the 200-meter breaststroke and a bronze in the 100-meter breaststroke, and also shattered the SVG national age-group record in the 50-meter freestyle, cementing his status as one of the country’s most promising rising swimming talents.
Williams, Deshong’s teammate in the 13–14 division, put in an equally impressive performance by qualifying for the final rounds of both the 50-meter and 100-meter breaststroke events, finishing sixth in both competitions. He also hit five new personal best times across the 200-meter breaststroke, 50-meter butterfly, 50-meter breaststroke, and 100-meter backstroke, showing steady improvement in his young career.
In the older 15–17 division, Dabriel matched his younger teammates’ success by advancing to the 200-meter backstroke final, where he finished eighth overall. Beyond his final placement, he delivered a record-breaking performance: he set five new personal best times, broke two national open records in the 200-meter backstroke and 200-meter individual medley, and also took down three national age-group records for the 15–17 division in the 200-meter freestyle, 200-meter backstroke, and 200-meter individual medley.
Rounding out the SVG delegation, Matthew Ballah competed in his final year of CARIFTA eligibility, wrapping up a remarkable run that included five consecutive appearances at the regional championships for SVG. He hit two new personal best times in the 50-meter butterfly and 200-meter backstroke to cap off his CARIFTA career on a high note.
Leading the four-person team was head coach Tamarah St. Hillaire, who guided the swimmers through the week of competition. In an official press release following the event, the SVG Swimming Federation highlighted the delegation’s historic achievement, noting that SVG swimmers have now secured medals at 14 consecutive CARIFTA Aquatics Championships. The federation reaffirmed its long-term commitment to nurturing the growth of local athletes and coaches, saying it will continue investing in resources to support future success for SVG swimming at the regional and international levels.