Peddie Swimmers Take Part in Carifta Championships

Michael Peters'16, Managing Editor

While the rest of campus returned from spring break last week, a group of Peddie swimmers were participating in the Carifta Championships in Martinique. This competition includes athletes from a number of Caribbean countries and Jared Fitzgerald ’17, Alex Encinar ’17 and Peter Morley ’19 qualified for their homeland Bahamas.

Each swimmer participated in multiple events, which included individual competitions as well as relays. Fitzgerald  took part in seven  events (four relays), and finished in first place in four of those. He also finished in second place in the 100-meter freestyle.

Fitzgerald  said he was “very happy” with his results. Since he will not be eligible for this event next year due to its age limit, he enjoyed his good showing.

Encinar  competed in four events. He finished in third place in two individual events, the 100- and 200-meter breaststroke, and added a first place showing in the 4 x 100-meter medley relay. Encinar  also finished with a personal best in three out of four events.

“I am very happy with my performances especially because of where we are at in the season,” Encinar  said. “I am looking forward for what is to come during the summer.”

Morley9 took part in six events, including one relay. He finished in third place in both the 100- and 200-meter backstroke events, but he  had the highlight of the event for a Peddie swimmer as he finished in first place in the 4 x 100-meter medley relay, setting a Bahamas and Carifta record for his age group in the process.

It was the fourth time participating in Carifta for both Fitzgerald and Morley, while it was the third time for Encinar. However, the event wasn’t solely about competition. The trio also enjoyed the experience as a whole, especially the chance to represent their countries.

“Apart of being able to compete with top athletes in an amazing pool, the feeling of being able to represent my country once again on an international level is unexplainable,” Encinar said.

“It’s always a pleasure to represent your country doing what you love,” Fitzgerald said.