Paul-Andre Walker, Staff ReporterJAMAICA WERE seventh in the medal tables after first day action at the CARIFTA Swimming Championships being held in Curacao.
Jamaica, with one gold, two silver medals and a bronze, are well behind leaders Trinidad and Tobago, who lead with 18 medals seven gold, four silver and seven bronze.
In second place was French Guiana, who were locked in a battle with the Bahamas on 14 points. French Guiana have the slight advantage of an extra gold medal in their coffers though.
LONE GOLD MEDAL
Jamaica's lone gold medal came in the Boys 15-17 400-metre freestyle relay where the team of Brad Hamilton, Travis Forte, Dave Smith and Garrick Robinson hit the wall ahead of Aruba and the Bahamas with a time of three minutes 42.34 seconds.
Hamilton and Smith were also on the medal podium for bronze performances in the 100-metre butterfly and the 200-metre breastroke respectively.
Hamilton, in his first year, was third behind record-breaking Caymanian Shaune D. Fraser (56.74) and Barbados' Shawn Clarke, who both dipped below the 1999 mark (57.31) of Bahamas' Jeremy Knowles.
Victoria Ho and Matthew Hylton also did Jamaica proud, grabbing silver medals in the girls 11-12 and boys 13-14 200 metres breastroke events respectively.
Ho was second behind a record-breaking swim by Mykayl Lightbourn (2:52.69) of the Bahamas. Lightbourn broke the five year-old record of her team-mate Alana Dillette (2:55.73) to take top honours.
Hylton (2:37.23) was beaten by Rodion Davelaar (2:35.67).
The competition continues through today and ends tomorrow.
