Carifta: Washington Wins Fourth Gold Medal
Bermuda’s Jesse Washington won his fourth gold medal in the 2012 Carifta Games taking place in the Bahamas, winning the 100 Meter Freestyle this evening [Apr.14].
Washington won the gold medal in record setting style, with his time of 57.31 breaking a 20-year-old Bermuda age group record. Today’s medal win brings the 12-year-old swimmer’s personal medal tally up to five, with Bermuda having won seven medals overall.
Jesse Washington swam 59.55 during the 11-12 Boys 100 Meter Freestyle to record the fastest time of all 30 swimmers in the category. He also set a Bermuda Age Group Record, shattering the old record of 1:01:73 which was set by William Massey in 1992.
Washington brought his medal count to five after he captured his fourth gold medal when he finished first in the 11-12 Boys 100 Meter Freestyle Final with a time of 57.31, thus smashing the record he just set earlier that day.
The third day of the 2012 Carifta Swimming Championships saw all nine Bermudian swimmers enter the water, with strong performances all around.
Shannon Hassell — who has won two medals in this Carifta Games — swam another personal best to reach the final of the 11-12 Girls 100 Meter Freestyle after she finished in 7th place with a time of 1:06.58.
Nic Patterson finished the morning session with a comfortable swim placing 5th in the 15-17 Boys 200 Meter Butterfly with a time of 2:19.21. Patterson finished one spot outside a medal place, when he finished 4th in the final with a time of 2:15.36.
Maddy Moore dropped 3 seconds from her personal best time in the 11-12 Girls 100 Meter Freestyle to swim a 1:08.66 and finished in 12th place. Aaron Rego lowered his personal best time in the 11-12 Boys 100 Meter Freestyle by 8 seconds clocking 1:11:92 finishing in 26th place.
Philip Hagen continued his good meet with a strong 13-14 Boys 100 Meter Freestyle finish in 16th with a time of 1:00:09 which gives him his second qualifying time for CISC making him eligible for selection. Ashley Yearwood finished off the 15-17 Girls 100 Meter Freestyle with a 1:01:73 which left her in 10th place and the second alternate the final.
Washington also took part in the 11-12 Boys 200 Meter Butterfly where he swam 2:46.01, which broke Nic Patterson’s record from the 2007 Carifta. Washington finished 7th in the heats, but he was scratched from the final so that he could focus on the 100 Freestyle Final.
A fantastic achievement from this young man – he’s made all Bermudians proud. Well done!
1st!!!!!!!!!OMG Jesse is a beast!!!!!!!!!!! I know your dad is jumping up & down!!!!!!!!!
Wow – this lil dude is cleaning up! I smell Bermuda’s first Olympic Gold in the future.
Just wondering , where in Bermuda do you train and compete to produce such stunning results ? !!!! Also , how can we the private sector sponsor such promising talent ?
Also , Is this individual Carifta medal haul unprecedented in Bermuda ?
There are 3 pools in Bda – Saltus, Warwick Academy & Sandy 360. There are swim clubs – Sharks, Harbour, Dolphins & Stingrays.
BASA (Bermuda Amateur Swimming Association) is the official Association and they run a National program which Jessie and many others are involved with.
Swimming for the team is at 6am 3 times a week plus club training of 3-4 times a week – somewhere in the region of 8-10hrs in total.
I would be happy to discuss further re- sponsorship etc and you can call me anytime. 535-9136
Well Done!!
Congratulations to Jesse and the rest of the team! Amazing!!
Wow – this is really really excellent – this is outstanding accomplishment – how must it feel to be this good at something?!!!! Well done to you – and well done to your family who will have made many a sacrifice on your behalf! Cool!