Frasers take one-two in 200m at Pan-Am games
(CNS): The Cayman Islands swimming, sibling sensations had a remarkable achievement at the Pan Am Games in Mexico on Tuesday. Not only did Brett Fraser win the islands’ first ever gold medal at a Pan American Games, his brother Shaune got the silver in the same race. The brothers managed the one-two in the men's 200m freestyle final, where Brett notched up a new games record of one minute and 47.18 seconds, shortening the previous mark held by Brazilian Gustavo Borges by 1.31 seconds. His older brother Shaune came in at 1:48.29 with Paraguay's Benjamin Hockin, who timed 1:48.48 just behind him.
With no American swimmers on the podium, the Cayman brothers shared the glory at the medal’s ceremony, putting Cayman firmly on the top of the international swimming stage.
“It feels spectacular. I still can’t believe what just happened. My brother and I are very happy because we shared the podium, he’s always been an example to follow. This is a great moment for my country,” said Brett after receiving his medal. His older brother Shaune added: “This is my second Pan American medal. My brother and I talked about making the 1-2, no matter in what order. In the pool, it is a competition between us both. Outside the pool we get along great. This is the second time he beats me.”
The sports minister Mark Scotland applauded the Fraser brothers for their tremendous achievement. “These two champions started their swimming career in a 25 m pool. But never did they use it as an excuse not to reach the top. They have steadily worked their way up without sacrificing their academic careers. They are truly worthy examples of how hard work and dedication can pay off,” he said.
For more on Cayman’s participation in the games go to the Olympic committee face book page
Category: Sports
This is such refreshing news! A much needed break from the news of young men shooting each other. Well done young heroes.
It doesn't happen often and it's not likely to last very long, but did anyone else notice the reluctance of the Jamaican newspapers to publish the Panam Games Medal Table while Cayman sits above them?
Here is a sample of what they write, without any mention of their neighbour:
At press time, the United States led the medal table with 33 gold, 29 silver and 25 bronze; ahead of Brazil, 12 gold, 11 silver, 15 bronze; and Canada, 10 gold, 10 silver, 17 bronze.
Twenty countries have made their place on the medal table with Jamaica and Trinidad & Tobago in joint 15th place with one silver and one bronze.
Read more: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/sport/Track-athletes-continue-to-flow-into-Mexico_9971804#ixzz1bQySQLyM
Meshuga! qanna 'am. Crazy! Jealous people. We all have it…it's called pride and sometimes Patroitism.
Please, let's not reflect what a newspaper does on the whole Jamaican people.
Shame on the Jamaica Observer, whilst we take great delight when any West Indian does well at a games, they should be happy (and write about it) for us. For example, we were privileged to see Kirani James win in the World Championships recently and are proud that he is from the Caribbean. We felt the same for any Caribbean athlete that we managed to see.
Even China thought Cayman's performance was newsworthy!
http://www.shanghaidaily.com/article/article_xinhua.asp?id=24054
Incidentally, Cayman is currently placed at 13th while Jamaica and Trinidad are placed at 17th and 19th respectively.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_Pan_American_Games_medal_table
This is really uplifting for the Cayman Islands!!!!!! Interesting to find out if two brothers have ever won gold and silver medals in any big swimming event??
I am a young swimmer, and you are an inspiration to me. I will keep training hard at the pool and maybe one day I'll break your record! Yay for the Fraser Brothers!
And just MORE MASSIVE KUDOS to these young Caymanians. Stay the course with maximum propulsion!
GO Frasers!
Not that it needed to be made public on CNS but from all of your friends who know how dedicated you two are to making these dreams come true, and how tough it is to compete in such an arena – CONGRATS!!!! We love you and wish you all the best in 2012!!!
Now, come visit, we miss you!
Thank God for something positive to talk about.
Congrats Guys….good stuff. You make us proud.
Maybe, Just maybe – the accomplishments of these boys at the Pan Am games can be the spark needed at last to raise the needed funds for an Olympic Swim venue in Cayman. How about it Mr. Dart, I couldn't think of a more welcome additition to Camana Bay!!
Cayman needs a high diving facility.
Like I need a hole in my head. Use the bluff, better yet, the observation tower.
Congrats guys, the journey is only half way completed. There’s more in the tank, the possibilites are endless. Keep dreaming big and living those dreams.
We need two pools in close proximity to qualify for a major pool swimming event. One is a warm up pool. Let's encourage everyone to work towards this happening, wherever it is. I would love to help out.
Well done fellas. Get ready for the invite from the Premier as he'll probably want to cash in on your good-news story with lots of photos of himself with you – I hope you can avoid that. Whatever, fantastic job and truly some people Cayman can feel proud about!
Come on dude. That is extremely low class. Why diminish their accomplishments with trivial politics? So are they supposed to feel bad if the Premier congratulates them and takes a picture with them?
What would people say if no one in the Government reached out to them? This is an incredible feat, worthy of national recognition! Let's not mess it up with gutter politics and don't put these could kids in an awkward predicament.
Recognition by your leaders is a good thing and most appropriate. Brett and Sean deserve all their kudos.
Should be the minister for sports congratulating these great kids, just sayin'……….
Yeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah well done Fraser boys you've made us all proud and hope more young Caymanians will see the benefits of sports.
My Gosh!! Not only are these boys winners, they are also drop-dead handsome young men. Wow! well done. AND.. please readers, do not waste your time to acknowledge the two miserable 'thumb down'. For this read to get thum downs, it only shows that we have some losers reading this site. Congrats to the Fraser family.
Nuff respect for our aquatic bredren
, may you always remain stalwart in your goals and ambitions, personal and for the mother land cayman
Well done!!!
Wow, what an incredible accomplishment. The dedication and hard work does pay off! You guys are stars!
Cayman is proud of you both.
These boys really are something else!. Heroes welcome is in order when they return home! Congrats. putting your island on an international stage in the most positive light!
Congrats to these 2 young men!! Please get these 2 men into the schools, the neighborhoods talking to the pre-teens/teens…promoting hard work and inspiring others.
Love the picture of the 2 in the pool and Cayman Islands being represented. Love it!!
Good luck you two!!
Big congrats to Shaune and Brett. Very proud of you. Now can you both come home and run for office? Cayman needs you!
Fantastic news! Congratulations! Their parents must be so proud of them. I can only imagine the dedication and hard work the Fraser brothers have put into achieving this well-deserved glory! So amazing to see our little island represented at the top of the podium at the Pan-Am games. Very special moment.
Congratulation Brett and Shaune!
Shaune – you gonna let your little brother do you that in 2012? LOL!
Congratulations Jim and Laurice! How proud you must be.
The competition keeps going. These achievements could not have been reached without many a sacrifice and battle, both personally and as part of the swimming community.
Brilliant!
Alan Roffey
We salute you! And thank you for giving Cayman something to be truly proud of, without any complications, spin or negativity attached!
I would like to personally express our sincere gratitude for the many, many kind comments and reactions given to our sons and family. We are extremely happy and are certainly blessed to provide a very positive and happy moment for our entire community and beloved Cayman Islands during what has been a very sad time with all the negative events that have gripped our nation recently. Shaune and Brett promise, God willing, to continue to exceed on an International level as best as they can for Cayman and send much love and appreciation to all their friends, supporters and family. They hope to visit in November. May God continue to bless us all.
How can there possibly be a thumbs down on this comment?
That person that gave the thumb down must be from Paraguay,their swimmer finished behind our Cayman hreoes ………………..lol
15.51 It's a long story, but it probably involved a cat, a sardine, a glass of wine and a finger that slipped while trying to keep things under control. It was supposed to be a thumbs-up, what else could it have been?
Ignorance and rudeness abound, my friend, there will always, unfortunately be people like that around.
Laurice, please let us know when the boys are coming home so that we can meet them at the airport. Proud to be Caymanian.
Congratulations! Now there are two positive role models for our young men
Keep up the hard work and success will be Yours!
Wow! I am delighted and so proud of you both – talent and dedication, focus and discipline – brings the results. Well done – you are fantastic examples to our youngsters. Thank-you
Excellence in motion! Well done guys – you make us proud!
Whoop whoop! What an awesome sight. Just gives one goose bumps. Well done, boys!
CONGRATS to the Fraser brothers continue to shine…………………….
Very impressive. Although the article did not elaborate it looks like Shaune also broke the previous record.
May the force be with you! Excited I am!
Fantastic news!
Well done Brett and Shaune we're very proud of you.
FInally some news that we can all be proud of. Congratulations to the Frasers for their perserverance through the hard, and I am sure, often lonely training regimes to get to the podium at a world premiere event. Also a useful example of what can be achieved with rudimentary facilities when a structured programme with dedicated coaches, parents and other volunteers focussed on the youth is put in place.
Absolutely fantastic! Cayman, let's give them our support – they continue to be ambassadors for our Islands, and role models for young and old.
Brett and Shaune, keep setting and reaching your goals. And please stay on the path of becoming men of good standards and character. You will NEVER regret it.
Is there anywhere we can watch the Pan Am Games on tv? I can't find anything. Also, please let us all know when the team is coming home so that we can go to the airport and greet them.
Tremendous achievement guys, thanks to you and your families, supporters and coaches for your efforts over many a year to reach this fabulous highlight in your careers. We watch and follow you and all Caymanian athletes whenever we can and are immensely proud of you. Thank you.
This is positive news – where is the support?
Fantastic! Job well done Frasers!
Awesome! truly fantastic – congratz
Congrats gentlemen, proud of you.
Congrats to the boys and their dad Jim.
Please please please lets get a Olympic pool !
I just feel like theres more Cayman swimming talent out there and this programme is BY FAR producing the best for our small country!
congrats boy! keep striving the world record is 5 secs aways and olympics is one year just keep on swimming, keep on swimming…
FANTASTIC!
Simply fantastic!
A testament to hard-work and dedication leading to success!
So proud of you guys for repping Cayman positively!
Congrats Frasers, and well done Cayman!
Awesome News!!! Congrats to the Fraser Brothers!!
Congratulations guys! You made the Cayman Islands Proud!
I am happy to see that the Lord Blesses and rewards those who work hard at theirdesires!
God Bless always!
Absolutely FANTASTIC!! Well done Brett and Shaune!! Keep up the good work – you both are exemplary athletes! Cayman is proud to have you represent us!
AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
GO TEAM FRASER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Fantastic day for Cayman and Cayman Swimming !
Many, many years of hard work, dedication, sacrifice, drive, determination… from Brett, Shaune, their family… and so many people in Cayman and beyond.
Today there is a swagger in the step and joy in the heart of everybody involved in Cayman Swimming…. everybody, from the youngest kid going to practice today to coach Dom Ross, the CIOC, the Minister of Sports, and certainly our Premier…. we can all puff our chests out a little today !
Today is today, but tomorrow ? Rededication to what is coming up in 2012…and for all our other swimmers to work to reach their goals… and for the administrators and supporters to help improve the facilities and resources we have to take us to the next level.
On behalf of all of the Cayman Swimming family….. HUGE congrats to Brett and Shaune !
Tom McCallum
President
Cayman Islands Amateur Swimming Association (CIASA)
congrats guys job well done
Congratulations to the these fine young fellas, you have and will continue to make us proud and prove that there is nothing that cannot be achived without hard work and dedication.
So looking forward to cheering you both on in 2012 in London.
WELL DONE BOYS! Very impressive results
Congratulations to these two young men you make us proud!!! Along with many of our other athletes your efforts, obvious hard work and dedication to our islands and sport does not go unnoticed. Thank you!
Congratulations well done.