Amy Grant breaks Brittany van Lange fly record; defeats Kenita Mahaica in 50m fly and free

Mar 24, 2017 Sports, http://www.kaieteurnewsonline....in-50m-fly-and-free/

On Sunday 19th of March last, the final day of the Guyana Amateur Swimming Association (GASA) 4-day Long Course Mashramani Meet ended with lots of smiles and disappointment at the National Aquatic Centre, Liliendall.

The competition was used as CARIFTA trials and squad selection for Goodwill 2017 which will be held in Guyana later this year. In the girls 15-17 category of the 50m freestyle, Amy Grant who had been missing from active competition for some time was ready for to battle.
The multi-talented Grant came back to the pool a few weeks ago to get back into the competitive shape for the Mashramani Meet. This was one of the races that the spectators and coaches were talking about for the last two weeks.
Eight girls were competing for the event and four of these girls were older than Grant who is 15 years-old. This was the race of races for 2017 in the 50m freestyle. Some of these girls have swam together but Accalia Khan and Nikita Fiedtkou were champions in their own right and since Grant has only trained with them for a few weeks a couple of years ago, no one knew what would have happened in a very competitive line up for the championship crown.
This was a title that most of the girls swimming in the 15 – 17 age group wanted in their portfolio, the title to be called the fastest girl in her age group even if she is in the Under-8 or the 18 and Over.
Grant, a Bishops’ High School fourth year student now had to prove that she can compete and win at this level of competition. The time came and the eight girls stepped on the starting blocks with everyone at the side of the pool watching and listening for the starters whistle.
The whistle blew and they were off to a flying start with Grant and Mahaica coming up at around 12 meters with the rest of the field two lengths back. Grant took the lead just in front of Mahaica with Nikita Fiedtkou in 3rd, Khan in 4th, Hunter in 5th and the other 3 girls a few lengths behind.
With 25 meters to go, Khan was making a move in Lane 8 along with Fiedtkou in Lane 1 but the pace was very fast and the four girls now at the back was finding it a bit difficult to keep up. As they approached 15 meters to the finish, Grant was setting sail for home and was digging deep as Mahaica moved up to her side with Fiedtkou coming up on Mahaica.
Khan was not going well in Lane 8 and the other four girls were out of the hot race as they headed for the last 10 meters with Grant in Lane 5 digging deeper and Mahaica fighting for dear life in Lane 4, Fiedtkou was struggling to stay with them.
As they approached the final 10 meters, Mahaica made a serious late challenge but Grant had them all stretched from the start and kept shifting gears with relentless pace to the finish to take the title of the fastest 50 meters 15 – 17 girl swimmer in Guyana.
Mahaica came 2nd, Nikita Fiedtkou 3rd, Accalia Khan 4th, Teshanna Hunter 5th, Anna Isaacs 6th, Safiya Foster 7th and Atiba Jeffery 8th. Grant, who is trained by her mother and achieved a PB in the race of 30.09
Grant was firing on all cylinders since she had earlier won the girls 15 – 17 title on Thursday in the 800 meters freestyle. On Friday morning she won the girls 15 – 17 1500 meters freestyle and on Saturday afternoon, captured the 100m freestyle title.
Now Grant was four for four as she approached the last event on her 5th race schedule, the girls 15 – 17 50m Butterfly race which is the hardest race that she would take part in on Sunday. This is a 50m race that will be over in a flash, so don’t blink. In May 2016, Kenita Mahaica defeated Grant in the 50m Butterfly which was a wakeup call for team Grant. But that was nine months ago and time is a great healer.
The starter’s whistle blew and the four girls were off the blocks like a bullet from a gun with Mahaica and Grant coming up around 12 meters with Mahaica just in the lead but not for long as Grant stretched out to take up at the halfway stage with Mahaica following, Fiedtkou 3rd and Safiya Foster 4th.
Grant still held the lead with 20 meters to go with Mahaica coming up alongside to join her with the other two girls finding the pace too hot to handle. Mahaica, swimming in Lane 4 began to edge out a slight lead on Grant who was swimming in Lane 5.
However, as Grant turned her head to breathe she suddenly shifted gears with 10 meters to the finish line but Mahaica was not giving up as both girls put in a drive to the finish with Grant digging deeper to hold that slim lead she had coming into the final 10 meters to win a very fast pace contest which as far as team Grant is aware, is a record time swam by Grant.
She clocked 31.66 eclipsing Britany van Lange’s XXIX CARIFTA games local record time of 32.29 set on 27 April, 2014 in Aruba. Mahaica had to settle for 2nd, Nikita Fiedtkou 3rd and Safiya Foster 4th.