By Neto Baptiste
National swim coach Nelson Molina Fojo is hoping that the swimmers currently representing Antigua and Barbuda at the World Aquatics Swimming Championships in Budapest, Hungary, could achieve personal bests while learning from the invaluable experience of competing on one of the sport’s biggest stages.
A four-member swim team of Aunjelique Liddie, Ellie Shaw, Stefano Mitchell and overseas-based athlete Ethan Stubbs-Green, is flying the country’s flag at the December 10-15 championships.
“The expectation at this level is that every single swimmer performs well in their event, to improve their PB [Personal Best] especially and if we have any chance to be, at least, in the semifinals would be a great achievement at this time. I know that our swimmers are coming along very nicely and getting better and better but to be at the world games level we have to keep working harder but in the future, I believe that we are going to be able to be apart of that semifinals,” he said.
Fojo explained that the federation was only allowed two male and two female swimmers based on the universality or wildcard stipulations. He added that despite not having any outright qualifiers ahead of the championships, the selected swimmers have competed at similar levels in the past.
“Right now, because we don’t have any qualifiers with the time the World Championship requires, that’s why we have four spots in terms of two females and two males and they are eligible to participate in two events. Where you have no one qualifying by time then you have to go via the universality or the wildcard so that’s why they are allowed to swim only two events. All of them [swimmers] have had the chance to participate at that level [previously] in all these big events like the World Championships and they know how to operate and how to prepare to get the best out of themselves. It’s going to be a worthwhile experience because they will be better and they are going to be facing the best of the best in the world right now,” the coach said.
Also making the trip to Budapest is secretary of the swimming federation Andrea Roberts-Nicholas who will also serve as the team manager and chaperone.
