Through an injection of funds from the Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA), the Aquatic Sports Association of Jamaica (ASAJ) will be able to send a national team of 25 swimmers to the upcoming XXVI Goodwill Swim Meet in Trinidad & Tobago.

The members, aged 9-17, will compete at the regional meet from August 19-21 against other Caribbean countries such as Trinidad & Tobago, Barbados, St Lucia, Guyana, Suriname, Bahamas, Grenada and Curacao.

JOA’s sponsorship of J$1.2 million will go to reducing the overall costs to parents for accommodation and participation.

Ryan Foster, JOA CEO and general secretary, said he believed in the country’s young national athletes and their potential to represent Jamaica at all levels.

“Swimming is an essential sport, investing in the national team for the Goodwill Swim Meet will solidify our commitment to develop and promote our local athletes,” Foster said.

Addressing a recent press conference to announce the team’s plans for the meet, Georgina Sinclair, vice president of the Aquatic Sports Association of Jamaica, said the Goodwill Swim Meet was the premier swim meet in the Caribbean and is a launching pad toward higher levels of competition.

Sinclair said: “The competition at the Goodwill Meet is fierce and provides swimmers with a taste of regional rivalry. In 2019, Team Jamaica doubled its previous medal haul of 32 medals when the team won 65 medals: 21 gold, 22 silver and 22 bronzed, placing second overall out of nine participating countries behind the winners, Trinidad and Tobago.”

Goodwill Jamaica National Swim Team Head Coach Kafia Rapley shared: “The team has been training very hard for these championships, and I know they are ready.”

She added: “I am excited to see how they will perform, and I believe they will each do very well in both their individual and relay events.”

The JOA wishes the team all the best during the championships.