Bermuda's Olympians, Emma and Jack Harvey, have begun their campaign at the 2025 TYR Pro Swim Series in Fort Lauderdale, USA, both making their mark on Day Two of the competition at the Fort Lauderdale Aquatic Center pool.
Both siblings successfully advanced to the finals in their respective events. Emma Harvey competed in the Women's 50m Backstroke and finished third in the C final, touching the wall in a time of 29.04 seconds.
Earlier in the day, Emma also participated in the Women's 100m Freestyle. She narrowly missed out on qualifying for the C Final, finishing in 27th place with a time of 56.47 seconds. However, she secured her spot in the 50m Backstroke C Final after clocking 28.85 seconds in the preliminaries, finishing 17th overall. This time was just shy of her own Bermuda record of 28.34 seconds, set at the World Championships in Doha on February 14th, 2024.
Jack Harvey had a record-breaking day in the Men's 50m Backstroke. He not only advanced to the A Final but also shattered the Bermuda Open record in the process. His preliminary swim of 25.21 seconds saw him finish 6th overall, eclipsing his previous national record of 25.89 seconds, which he set at the Atlanta Classic Swim Meet on May 16th, 2024. However, Jack ultimately made the decision to pull out of the A Backstroke Final.
Despite Jack's withdrawal from the final, both Emma and Jack Harvey have shown their competitive edge on the international stage in Fort Lauderdale, with Emma securing a strong finish in her final and Jack setting a new national benchmark in the heats.
Tuesday, April 22, 2025
Cechini Grabs Third CARIFTA Medal in Thrilling Final
IslandStats.com
Bermuda's talented young swimmers continued to impress on the final day of pool competition at the CARIFTA Aquatics Championship in Trinidad, with Thomas Cechini adding to his medal tally in a nail-biting finish.
Cechini, who had already secured two Bronze Medals earlier in the Championships, entered the 15-17 Boys 400 LC Meter Freestyle Final with high hopes. He delivered a fantastic performance, touching the wall in a time of 4:07.78 seconds to claim his third bronze medal of the meet. The race was incredibly tight at the finish, with Cechini finishing just a fraction of a second behind Aruba's Perna Fernandes, who took silver in 4:07.77, and Trinidad's Liam Carrington, who won gold in 4:07.08.
Sylvia Lim also competed in a final on the last day, taking to the pool for the 11-12 Girls 200 LC Meter Backstroke Final. She finished a creditable fifth in the event, clocking a time of 2:48.11.
Junior Female Athlete of the Year Katherine Wheddon narrowly missed out on a medal in the 15-17 Girls 400 LC Meter Freestyle Final. Despite swimming a personal best time of 4:42.94 seconds, she finished in fourth place. Her teammate Marleigh Howes also competed in the same final, finishing eleventh and also achieving a personal best time of 4:46.64.
Connor Hupman was the final Bermudian in action in the pool, competing in the 15-17 Boys 400 LC Meter Freestyle final. He finished eighth in the event with a time of 4:18.04.
Earlier in the day, Wheddon produced a stunning swim in the preliminaries of the 15-17 Girls 400 LC Meter Freestyle, clocking a personal best time of 4 minutes 42.94 seconds to qualify fastest for the final. Howes, who also swam a personal best time of 4 minutes 46.64 seconds to secure the fourth-fastest qualifying spot.
In the 15-17 Boys 400 LC Meter Freestyle, Connor Hupman recorded the second-fastest qualifying time of 4 minutes 18.04 seconds, also achieving a new personal best in the process.
Bermuda will also be represented in the 11-12 Girls 200 LC Meter Backstroke final by Sylvia Lim. She qualified in sixth place with a time of 2 minutes 49.42 seconds, ensuring her participation in the final.
Howes and Wheddon also competed in the 15-17 Girls 50 LC Meter Freestyle. Howes finished 18th with a time of 28.06 seconds, while Wheddon clocked another personal best time of 28.83 seconds to finish 30th. Thomas Cechini and Connor Hupman also participated in the 15-17 Boys 50 LC Meter Freestyle. Cechini finished 14th with a personal best time of 24.54 seconds, and Hupman placed 20th with a time of 24.95 seconds.
Cechini's third medal brings Bermuda's total medal count in the CARIFTA Aquatics Championships to an impressive three bronze medals, adding to the silver medal won by Cameron Adkins in the track and field events earlier in the Games. The performances of all the young swimmers highlight the bright future of aquatics in Bermuda.
Monday, April 21, 2025
Cechini Eyes Third Medal in CARIFTA Freestyle Final
Cechini Eyes Another Medal
IslandStats.com
Bermuda's swimmer Thomas Cechini will have another opportunity to add to his medal haul at the CARIFTA Aquatics Championship in Trinidad, as he prepares for the 15-17 Boys 100 LC Meter Freestyle Final on Day Three at the National Aquatic Centre Couva.
Cechini has already enjoyed a successful championships, claiming two medals in previous events. He will now be aiming for a third as he takes to the pool in the highly anticipated 100m Freestyle Final.
His strong form in the preliminary rounds saw him finish fifth fastest, clocking a personal best time of 53.04 seconds. This impressive swim positions him well for the final, and he will be looking to replicate or even improve on that time as he competes for a place on the podium once again.
Having already secured a Bronze medal in the 1500m Freestyle and another Bronze in the 200m Freestyle, Cechini has proven his versatility and competitiveness across different distances. The 100m Freestyle presents a different challenge, demanding explosive speed and endurance over the shorter sprint distance.
Cechini took to the pool for the 15-17 Boys 100 LC Meter Freestyle Final finishing 6th touching the wall in a time of 52.60. . Bermuda was watching Cechini's performance in the final, hoping he would continue his medal-winning streak and further enhance the island's success at this year's CARIFTA Aquatics Championships.
Sunday, April 20, 2025
Cechini Claims Second Medal at CARIFTA Aquatics
IslandStats.com
Bermuda's swimmers continued to make waves at the CARIFTA Aquatics Championship in Trinidad, at the National Aquatic Centre Couva. Thomas Cechini added a second medal to Bermuda's tally at the CARIFTA Aquatics Championships in Trinidad, securing a bronze in the 15-17 Boys 200m Freestyle on the second night of finals at the National Aquatic Centre Couva.
Cechini, who had already tasted medal success earlier in the championships, powered to a third-place finish in the 200m Freestyle, touching the wall in a time of 1 minute 54.83 seconds to claim the bronze medal. Compatriot Connor Hupman also competed strongly in the same final, finishing eighth with a time of 1:58.48.
Marleigh Howes continued her impressive performances, finishing sixth in the 15-17 Girls 200 Freestyle with a time of 2:12.31. She then narrowly missed out on another podium finish in the 15-17 Girls 50m Butterfly, clocking a personal best time of 28.83 seconds to finish in a tie for fourth place.
Sylvia Lim, who had also advanced to a final, competed in the 11-12 Girls 100 Backstroke Final, finishing eighth with a time of 1:17.63.
Cechini's second medal of the championships highlights his consistent talent and dedication, while Howes' near-miss and Lim's strong final appearance further underscore the strength of the Bermuda swimming contingent at this year's CARIFTA Aquatics Championships. The team will be buoyed by these performances as the competition continues in Trinidad.
Earlier in the day, Marleigh Howes demonstrated her endurance and consistency in the 15-17 Girls 200 LC Meter Freestyle preliminaries. Her time of 2:12.87 secured her seventh place and a spot in the final. Unfortunately, teammate Katherine Wheddon narrowly missed out, finishing 12th with a time of 2:14.82.
Thomas Cechini produced a standout performance in the 15-17 Boys 200 LC Meter Freestyle. He clocked an impressive personal best time of 1:55.46, the second-fastest time in the preliminaries, guaranteeing his place in the final and raising hopes for a strong showing.
Sylvia Lim faced a tough field in the 11-12 Girls 50 LC Meter Butterfly, finishing 26th with a time of 37.22.
Howes continued her busy and successful day, qualifying for her third final of the championships and her second of the day in the 15-17 Girls 50 LC Meter Butterfly. She touched the wall in a personal best time of 29.01 seconds, securing fourth place in the preliminaries.
Lim bounced back strongly in the 11-12 Girls 100 LC Meter Backstroke preliminaries. She recorded a personal best time of 1:16.99, finishing seventh and earning a well-deserved spot in the final.
Katherine Wheddon, competing in the 15-17 Girls 100 LC Meter Backstroke, also swam a personal best time of 1:12.09, finishing 11th overall.
In the 15-17 Boys 100 LC Meter Backstroke, Conor Hupman finished in 12th place with a time of 1:03.90.
With Marleigh Howes and Thomas Cechini both securing places in finals, and Sylvia Lim also advancing, the Bermuda swimmers continue to impress at the CARIFTA Aquatics Championship. The finals will provide further opportunities for these talented young athletes to compete for medals and showcase their progress on the regional stage.
Saturday, April 19, 2025
Bermuda Win Bronze Medal Day 1 of CARIFTA Aquatics
IslandStats.com
The CARIFTA Aquatics Championship, a prestigious age-group competition showcasing the best young swimmers from across the Caribbean, has begun at the National Aquatic Centre Couva in Trinidad, and Bermuda's representatives have made a promising start.
On the opening day of the championships, Thomas Cechini won Bermuda’s first swimming medal at the 2025 Carifta Aquatics Championships finishing third in the 15-17 Boys 1,500m Freestyle claiming the Bronze Medal with a Personal Best time of 16:48.61.
Sylvia Lim finished 8th in the 11-12 Girls 50 LC Meter Backstroke Final with a time of 35.24, while Marleigh Howes competed in the 15-17 Girls 100 LC Meter Butterfly Final finishing 6th touching the wall in a time of 1:06.00.
Earlier in the day, Bermuda's swimmers secured spots in two A Finals, demonstrating their talent and potential on the regional stage.
Sylvia Lim impressed in the 11-12 Girls 50 LC Meter Backstroke preliminaries. Her time of 35.04 seconds saw her finish eighth overall, comfortably securing her place in the coveted A Final of the event.
Connor Hupman also advanced to the final stages of his event. Competing in the 15-17 Boys 50 LC Meter Backstroke preliminaries, Hupman touched the wall in 28.27 seconds, finishing ninth overall.
While Lim found success in the backstroke, she faced a tougher challenge in the 11-12 Girls 100 LC Meter Butterfly preliminaries, finishing 25th with a time of 1:25.33 and missing out on a place in the finals of that event.
However, Marleigh Howes provided further positive news for the Bermuda team. In the 15-17 Girls 100 LC Meter Butterfly preliminaries, Howes swam a strong race, clocking 1:05.85. This impressive performance saw her finish seventh overall, earning her a well-deserved place in the A Final.
With two swimmers set to compete in A Finals and another in a B Final, the opening day of the CARIFTA Aquatics Championship has been a positive one for the Bermuda team. Sylvia Lim and Marleigh Howes will now look to challenge for medals in their respective A Finals, while Connor Hupman will aim for a strong performance in his B Final. The Bermuda swimming contingent will be hoping to build on this promising start as the competition continues in Trinidad.
