Letter to the Sports Editor…Goodwill Team Selection – Girls 8 & Under
Aug 15, 2017 , http://www.kaieteurnewsonline....ction-girls-8-under/
Dear Sir,
The Dorado Speed Swim Club wishes to bring to your attention yet another example of discontent in the selection of swimmers to represent Guyana in the Goodwill Swim Meet 2017. As this involves the youngest of the swimmers, we ask you not to publish their names.
The following table shows the Goodwill events for which 8&Unders are eligible, the number of swimmers entered by all countries in each event, the entry times given for swimmers KS, AV and SL and where they are seeded in each event. (Psych sheet attached). The last two columns show the most recent times for swimmers JG and JA.
Note also the email sent to GASA’s Secretary and the members of the Technical Committee (July 12, 2017) explaining why JA should be selected over JG as follows:
– JA is the most versatile of the three swimmers, having participated in all six events.
– JA placed 2nd, 3rd or 4th in five of the six events.
– JA’s times are significantly better than JG’s in all but the 50m Free.
The response received was that JG was faster in the freestyle and “they” were thinking of the relay.
We ask you now to look again at how these girls are seeded – out of 15 or 16 swimmers in each event – 12th to 15th! What is the likelihood of them winning a relay, or even medalling? For the record, please note that the Dorado Speed Swim Club is not criticising these young swimmers as our policy, at their age, is to focus on technique rather than speed.
We simply ask how GASA justifies selecting a swimmer who only competed in 3 of 6 possible events and bettered the other swimmer in only one of the three; especially as the latter swimmer did 51.06(LC) just a month before at the Independence Meet.
Perhaps the answer is that the selected swimmer is a member of the club to which the President of GASA belongs.
Goodwill 2017
Girls 8 & Under