#Nassau, June 7, 2019 – Bahamas – After a spectacular winning performance on the CARIFTA
2019 international stage, swimmers are diving headfirst into the Bahamas
Aquatic Federation’s 48th National Swimming Championships this June.
Erald Thompson, Assistant Treasurer of the
Bahamas Aquatics Federation, said spectators can look forward to “a wonderful
and exciting time, with new records being set” when the athletes hit the water
at the Betty-Kelly Kenning Aquatic Center between June 20 and June 24 for the
event.
Jamilah Hepburn, who has been swimming for six
and half years, said she lives for the competition.
“There are a lot of things I like about
swimming, but what I like most is the competition, because I love the
adrenaline rush before a race and after a win. So the National Swimming
Championships as well as other meets are a big deal to me.”
Jamilah explained, “I started swimming as part
of my physical therapy following a leg injury. The doctor recommended swimming
and I liked it, so I never stopped. It was a really big part of my recovery and
now I definitely plan to pursue it professionally and swim in the NCAA. Competitions
like this help me prepare for that in the future.”
The team recently received sponsorship support
from CIBC FirstCaribbean when Marketing Manager Nikia Christie visited the
swimmers during one of their practice sessions at the pool recently.
“We know The Bahamas has many talented
swimmers. This year our CARIFTA team accomplished an amazing feat by winning
the regional meet for a third year in a row. This sport not only encourages
healthy competition and physical activity, it also provides educational
opportunities and promotes positive youth development – a major focus of our bank’s
corporate social responsibility initiatives. So CIBC FirstCaribbean is proud to
come on board as a corporate sponsor to support the young athletes as they
prepare for the upcoming National Swimming Championships.”
Georgette Albury, Team Manager for CARIFTA
2018/2019 and CCCAN 2018/2019, said, “Swimming is a year-round event and this
sponsorship will go a long way, even beyond Nationals. We will use this money
to take the swimmers to international meets. They recently just came back from
CARIFTA – which they won for the third time in a row with 73 medals total – and
right after Nationals they’ll be competing in CCCAN.”
Erald Thompson said, “I think our country is a
melting pot of talent when it comes to sports. A lot of Bahamians are into
baseball, swimming, track and field, etc., and they always perform well on the
international stage. Our athletes need support, and I hope that the government
and corporate Bahamas value these kids more and show that through donating more
to the Bahamas Aquatics Federation.
“We’d also like to say thank you to the corporate sponsors who did help us this year, including CIBC FirstCaribbean. We couldn’t have the Bahamas National Swimming Championships without them,” he added.
Release: CIBC FirstCaribbean International
Photo Caption:Top swimmers are ready to make a splash at the 48th Bahamas National Swimming Championships this June, thanks in part to support from corporate sponsor CIBC FirstCaribbean. L to R: Samuel Gibson, Davante Carey, Bahamas Aquatics Federation Assistant Treasurer Erald Thompson, CIBC FirstCaribbean Marketing Manager Nikia Christie, Zaylie-Elizabeth Thompson, Leylah Knowles, Kaliyah Albury, Jamilah Hepburn, and Anya MacPhail.