Local swimmers head to Qatar for international meet

(CIASA): The Cayman Islands Amateur Swimming Association (CIASA) has announced the athletes who will represent the Cayman Islands at the 2014 FINA World Swimming Short Course Championships taking place in Doha, Qatar, December 3rd-7th, and at the FINA Youth Programme, taking place December 2nd – 7th, also in Qatar. Athletes representing the Cayman Islands in the World Swimming Short Course Championships are: Lara Butler, Lauren Hew, Brett Fraser and Geoffrey Butler. The team will be accompanied by CIASA Technical Director Bailey Weathers who will serve as Team Manager and Head Coach.

The Team was selected by CIASA using a power point system which ranks each swimmer's best long course times from the previous 12 months and then assigns them a ranking based on points earned. With two slots for women and two slots for men to be filled, the top two ranked swimmers – female and male – earned spots on the team.

Because the athletes live in different places (in the Cayman Islands, USA or UK), they will travel to Doha separately – with departure dates dictated primarily by school concerns – arriving on either Nov 30th or December 1s.

Also taking place in Doha, Qatar, is the FINA Youth Programme, running concurrently with the World Swimming Short Course Championships, Dec 2 – 7th. The youth program, designed to be an educational experience, a cultural experience and motivational experience for young swimmers will provide Cayman’s two young swimmers with great experience and inspiration. 

To be selected for this Youth Programme, swimmers needed to be born in 1998 to 2000 and may not be participating in the World Championships. CIASA selected Cayman’s two athletes – one female and one male – using a power point system and are sending Catriona MacRae and Jonathan Key. Travelling with MacRae and Key will be Team Manager Ms. Claire Critchley.

FINA provides financial support for this trip and schedules, and pays for, the participants’ flights; and attendance at both these events is made possible by CIASA, in partnership with FINA* (Fédération Internationale de Natation, in English this is the International Swimming Federation).