Sports
Turks & Caicos Makes Waves at World Aquatics & Goodwill Championships
Deandrea Hamilton | Editor
Turks and Caicos, August 01, 2025 – Last month, Turks & Caicos’s Ethan Gardiner and Arleigha “Lee” Hall represented the nation at the 2025 World Aquatics Championships in Singapore, facing off in elite international competition from July 27 to August 3. Hall swam the 50m butterfly and 50m freestyle, while Gardiner contested the 50m freestyle and 50m breaststroke.
A standout moment: Sixteen‑year‑old Ethan Gardiner shattered his own national record in the men’s 50m breaststroke,
clocking 33.63 seconds—improving on his previous 33.97 from CARIFTA earlier in the year. That time marked the first-ever appearance by a Turks & Caicos swimmer in a long-course heat at the world championships—a historic milestone for the TCISF.
While neither athlete advanced beyond preliminary heats, their presence alone signaled growing ambition from a federation forging its place on the global stage. Hall and Gardiner demonstrated competitive poise and national pride alongside swimmers from more established programs. Up next: the 29th Goodwill Swimming Championships, held August 15–17, 2025 in Barbados.
This year Northern Caribbean spotlight intensifies as Turks & Caicos competes as a full member federation for the first time—not merely as an invitee. That membership was formally accepted after a two-year application process led by TCISF delegates Roydoya Alleyne, Bennett Williams, Lincoln Martin, and Shanwell Gardiner.
The Turks & Caicos flag will officially appear on the championship’s cover page—a visual emblem of recognition and inclusion.
The team heading to Barbados comprises nine swimmers, supported by two coaches and one team manager. With expanded representation this is the largest Turks & Caicos squad yet at the Goodwill Games, reflecting the federation’s upward trajectory.
In summary:
- Singapore: Gardiner and Hall achieved key personal and national benchmarks, highlighted by Gardiner’s record-breaking swim.
- Barbados Goodwill Games: Turks& Caicos enters officially into a more competitive, member-based structure.
This dual appearance caps a transformative summer—TCISF is steadily moving from hopeful newcomer to an organized, recognized force in regional and international swimming. As momentum builds, the focused question now becomes: what’s next? Will more records fall, more qualifiers emerge, and more history get written under the TCI banner?
Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands – Thursday, 21 August 2025: The Police Action League (PAL) is set for a decisive weekend as the basketball semifinals tip off this Saturday, August 23, alongside the fourth matchup of the PAL Softball 5-game series.
Basketball action begins with the final 13U league group games, where teams fight for playoff seeding. The Avengers (4–1) currently lead the standings, followed by the Guardians and Badgers (both 3–2).
- 9:00 AM – Avengers vs. Badgers (13U)
- 10:00 AM – Guardians vs. Seaquest (13U)
The semifinals follow for the 15U and 17U divisions:
15U Boys Division
- 11:00 AM – #2 Sea Quest (3–1) vs. #3 Skyhawks (2–2)
- 12:00 PM – #1 Guardians (4–0) vs. #4 Avengers (1–3)
17U Boys Division
- 1:00 PM – #2 Avengers (2–2) vs. #3 Badgers (2–2)
- 2:00 PM – #1 Sea Quest (4–0) vs. #4 Skyhawks (2–2)
This year’s competition has been fueled by standout performers across the leagues. Rhomano Dumesle (13U) has been dominant, averaging nearly 20 points per game and pulling down an impressive 61 rebounds in five games. In the 15U division, Jodias Cineus has led the way with an average of 15.8 points per game, while Dashawn Lightbourne (17U) has contributed across the board with 78 total points and 20 rebounds.
On the softball diamond, the Badgers and Skyhawks meet again in their pivotal fourth showdown of the best-of-five PAL Softball Series. The Skyhawks currently lead 2–1 and can close the series with a win this Saturday at 9:30 AM at the Downtown Ballpark. Key contributors include Jayanna Ferguson, who leads the series in runs scored (3), and Denicka Robinson, who tops the RBI chart with 2.
Standings, scores and schedules can be found here: https://nieves1319.softr.app/2025pal-stat-landing-page
All basketball games will be played at the Gustavus Lightbourne Sports Complex. Tickets are $5 for adults and $3 for children, which grant access to both sports on the day.
The PAL continues to provide young athletes across the Turks and Caicos Islands with opportunities for growth through competition, mentorship, and community support.
Turks and Caicos, August 15, 2025 – The Turks and Caicos Islands Swim Federation is proud to announce that nine talented swimmers will represent the Turks and Caicos Islands National Team at the 2025 Goodwill Swimming Championship, scheduled to take place in Barbados from August 15–17, 2025.
This year marks a historic milestone, as Turks and Caicos will participate not as an invited nation but as a full member nation, a status
officially granted earlier this year through the efforts of the Turks and Caicos Islands Swim Federation.
The team will be led by Head Coach Bennett Williams, assisted by Coach Lincoln Martin, with Team Manager Snjezana Andrews overseeing logistics and support.
We extend our best wishes to our swimmers as they take on some of the region’s best athletes and continue to make the Turks and Caicos Islands proud on the international stage.
For more information on the Goodwill Championship, visit the event’s official website or follow updates from the Turks and Caicos Islands Swim Federation.
Bennett Williams
President
Turks and Caicos Islands Swim Federation
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