Multiple medals, records and personal best times for ARUBA swimmers competing in Coral Springs, Florida
After a successful Caribbean Island Championship meet in Barbados two weeks ago, Daniella & Andrea van den Berg, Mikel Schreuders, Jemal Le Grand, Patrick & Jordy Groters are back in the water and competing at the 2014 Florida Gold Coast Senior Championships. The first day of the meet brought our Arubans 2 gold medals and 3 new Aruba records, 2 agegroup and 1 Open. In the 100 Freestyle, Mikel, after already swimming a personal best in the morning, 52.86, came back in finals to win gold and drop his best time with another second, 51.80 setting a new record in the 15-17 category. Jemal in the Open category finished 6th in a for him personal best time 51.85. Jordy won the second gold medal in the 50 Breast, stopping the clock at 29.16, a new personal best as well as age group and Open record for Aruba. Day 2 brought 1 bronze medal, several new records and personal best times. Mikel won the bronze in the 100 fly in a personal best 58.77. Mikel also won the 200 Free consolation final, 1:55.50, a time that would have been a gold medal had he been swimming in the A final. Daniella, although in heavy training for the Youth Olympic Games next month in China, won the consolation final in the Open 200 Free posting a personal best 2:08.07, which is a new 15-17 category and Open record. Patrick finished 6th in the 50 Backstroke but his time 28.42 will go down in the record books as a new Aruba age group and Open Record. On the final day of the competition Jemal posted two personal bests breaking the 24 in the 50 Free, 23.82 and breaking 26 in the 50 fly, 25.81. Mikel added to his collection of medals with a personal best in the 50 free 23.82, good for the gold medal. With less than 10 minutes to recover, Mikel got back in the water and touched the wall second in the 200 IM, 2:12.50, to finish his very succesfull meet with a silver medal. Jordy, like Daniella, still in training, swam a solid race in the 100 Breast winning the bronze medal in 1:05.71.