Atkinson leads Ja's charge SANTO DOMINGO, CANA: CARIFTA champions Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaican Olympic star Janelle Atkinson are expected lead the English-speaking Caribbean charge at the 9th Central America and Caribbean (CCCAN) Swimming Championship starting today. T&T, Jamaica, and Barbados are the leading entries from the CARIFTA group following a late withdrawal by the Bahamas from the week-long meet at the Olympic Centre of Santo Domingo. The championships are the toughest age group meet in the region with top swimmers coming from Mexico, Venezuela, Colombia, Cuba and Puerto Rico. The Bovell brothers are the big names for T&T after a prominent showing at the 1999 CCCAN meet in Colombia, where Nicholas won eight gold medals in the 11-12 age group, and George captured five gold among the 15-17s. Atkinson rose to prominence at the CCCAN's 1997 meet in Cuba, with four gold medals and a silver in the 13-14 category. She has since earned triple silver at the 1999 Pan Am Games and an English Caribbean all-time Olympic-best fourth in Sydney last September, fourth in the women's 400 metres freestyle. Barbadian Damien Alleyne joins the Bovell brothers among the most promising young male swimmers in the region and he is also expected to make waves for the 2000 CARIFTA champions. Anil Roberts, who guided Barbadian Leah Martindale, 50-freestyle fifth place finisher at the 1996 Olympics, and Trinidadian Siobhan Cropper to major international successes in the mid-1990s, is coach of the Trinidad and Tobago team, which also includes CARIFTA stars Sobeena George and Ayeshia Collymore. The opening ceremony was held last night.
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