As a school with an international reputation, Montverde Academy attracts student-athletes from all over the world, writes Frank Jolley.
Many of those student-athletes represent the school in a variety of athletic arenas, and a few move on to compete for their native country in international competitions.
Peter Kiernan will be the latest Montverde Academy standout to star for his homeland when he swims for Bermuda in the 30th CARIFTA Swimming Championships next month in Barbados. The competition, a FINA-approved qualified for the 36th FINA World Championships to be held later this year in Kazan, Russia, is set to begin April 4 and run through April 7.
FINA is the international governing body of swimming, diving, water polo, synchronized swimming and open water swimming.
Since arriving at Montverde Academy, Kiernan has improved to No. 78 in the state, according to collegeswimming.com, and is ranked No. 948 nationally. He represented Montverde Academy at the 2014 Florida High School Athletic Association Class 1A state championships in November in the 50-yard freestyle.
The CARIFTA competition will be Kiernan’s first as a member of Bermuda’s select team. Bermuda will send 17 swimmers to the championship, with nine swimmers having at least three years of experience as a competitive swimmer.
Five others will be making their international debut representing Bermuda, an island nation about 640 miles east of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina.
A total of 22 countries, including the Bahamas, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Jamaica, have been invited to the championships. Besides traditional swimming events, the CARIFTA Championships will crown winners in synchronized swimming, water polo and open-water swimming.
Montverde Academy Swimming Coach Arilson Champam said he hopes Kiernan is just the first of many Eagles who will move on to international competition. Champam wants to raise the sport to a stature similar to the boys basketball and boys soccer teams — nationally and internationally recognized programs.
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