by LeVaughn Flynn, Staff Reporter
John Eyre, president of the Amateur Swimming Association of Jamaica, speaking at yesterday's launch of the 2008 Caribbean Islands Swimming Championships. Next to Eyre is Mike Fennell, president of the Jamaica Olympic Association. - Kyle Macpherson
THE three Jamaican swimmers who have qualified for the Olympics will be in action at the 17th Caribbean Islands Swimming Championships (CISC) which begins on Thursday and runs until next Tuesday at the National Stadium Pool.
Jevon Atkinson, Alia Atkinson and Natasha Moodie, who are all based in the United States, have achieved the qualifying mark and will use the CISC as preparation for the Beijing Games, which starts on August 8.
National technical director of swimming, Jackie Walter, said Moodie and Alia would not compete in their Olympic events at the CISC.
"The meet clashes with their training programmes, so they'll do different events than what they will do at the Olympics," said Walter yesterday at the launch of the championships at the Sports Development Foundation office on Phoenix Avenue, St Andrew.
Fine-tuning
Jevon, meanwhile, will fine-tune his Olympic preparation in the 50 metres freestyle at the championships, while Moodie, who will also compete in the 50 metres freestyle in Beijing, is down for the 50m and 100m breaststroke at the CISC. Alia will compete in the 200m breaststroke at the Olympics but will swim the 50m and 100m butterfly and the 100m freestyle this week.
The championships include three events - swimming, water polo and synchronised swimming. A total of 462 athletes and officials are expected from as many as 20 countries, but only 14 have so far confirmed participation. The games village will be located at the Rex Nettleford Hall at the University of the West Indies.
This is Jamaica's fourth time hosting the CISC, beginning with the first championships in 1976. Jamaica were also hosts in 1994 and 2004. Jamaica's best finish at the CISC was in 1976 when they finished second to Puerto Rico. That team included Walter who competed in the breaststroke and relay events.
Reigning champs
Puerto Rico are currently the reigning champions and, along with Trinidad and Tobago and the Dominican Republic, will provide the toughest competition for Jamaica.
The Bournemouth Bath Pool, which is being renovated, will also stage events with the junior water polo teams playing their matches there.
Do
you have a problem? Is something bothering
you? Write to