Delayed Swim For The Sanctuary still a success

Jamaica Inn Foundation’s Swim For The Sanctuary, staged at Shaw Park Beach, St Mary, last Saturday, rescheduled from its annual fixed date of the first Saturday of November after the October 28 passage of Hurricane Melissa, continues to be an evolving success story.

A benefit key for the White River Fish Sanctuary, a 400-acre ‘no-fishing’ zone established along the St Ann-St Mary coastline since 2015, Swim For The Sanctuary has evolved from fundraiser to internationally recognised open-water swim meet, now Carifta Games qualifier, attracting top national swimmers.

Meet director Alan Beckford pointed to Joel Sinclair, national record holder at 1500 metres in the 11-12 age group.

“It was excellent competition with a lot of national swimmers such as Joel Sinclair, who won the 5000-metre swim,” said Beckford, adding, “we’re also happy to have had a number of overseas competitors still committing despite the postponement.”

Sinclair, competing as a 13-14 for Sharks Swim Club, posted 1:16:57 to top the male 5k ahead of Y-Speedos’ 15-19, Mateo Cheng Hin Mee, who clocked 1:18:01, significantly improving on his 2024 third-place finish of 1:20:42.

Y-Speedos’ Matthew Kennedy defended his male 3K title, winning in 46:0 ahead of Swimaz Aquatics’ Peyton Gayle, 51:05. Kennedy’s teammate, Brandon Wong, placed third for the second consecutive meet in 51:12.

The female 3K was won by 13-14 Kai Lawson in 50:40 ahead of Tornadoes Swim Club’s Isabellla Wong, who dead-heated with Sharks’ addison Thomas in 1:37:0.

Vikings Swim Club’s Dmitri Ventura topped the male 1k in 15:40 ahead of Makoz Aquatics’ Dominic Whilby, both 13-14 swimmers.

Y-Speedos Julian Willoughby and Damani Jones, 11-14 and 15-19, respectively, completed the club exacta in the male 500m event, clocking 8:20 and 10:06.

Y-Speedos also dominated the female 500m, taking the top three places, Sarah Burke, Jordayna Thomas, and Sage Sinclair, ending with 8:45, 9:43 and 9:54, respectively.

Tornadoes’ 13-14 females, Emanuelle Spence and Khloe-Renee Bryan, both 13-14, topped the 1k in 1:50 and 16:58, respectively.

Belinda Morrow, sanctuary founder and Jamaica Inn Foundation board member, praised the sponsors who stayed on board despite taking hits from Hurricane Melissa, adding that swimming lessons will soon be introduced.

Massy Distribution was co-Gold Sponsor through brands Quaker, Bumble Bee, Banana Boat, Green Housekeeper, and Snack Pack. Other sponsors included Petrojam Limiited, Jamaica Inn, Jamaica Tourist Board, Tourism Enhancement Fund, and Jamaica Inn Foundation, as well as ScotiaInsurance, Couples Resorts, WATA, IronRock Insurance, Sagicor Investments, S Hotels, Mr Rehab, Smatt’s Rum, Proforma Marketing, Jamaica Triathlon Association, Guardsman, and one great studio.

“The proceeds from Swim For The Sanctuary will, as usual, go towards funding all we do in preservation of our reefs and marine life. The meet also introduces swimming to Jamaica, which has way too many people drowning instead of Usain Bolts of swimming,” said Morrow.

“The sanctuary will start having swimming lessons. We are already the best athletes (track and field) in the world so why not in swimming as well?”

Lance Rochester president, Aquatic Sports Association of Jamaica (ASAJ), supporting Morrow’s desire for a national growth spurt in swimming, revealed plans for sea pools, which are more economically feasible as opposed to land-based infrastructure.

“The standard pool costs approximately US$1m to construct plus a heavy maintenance cost, which is the real killer. There are creative solutions such as sea pools, which maintain themselves. ASAJ has done the feasibility assessment at a cost of approximately $10m for a sea pool,” Rochester pointed out.