Four Cayman swimmers will soon be under the global spotlight as they compete in the World Aquatics Junior Swimming Championships in Romania.
From 19-24 Aug., this event will feature hundreds of promising young swimmers, including Cayman’s own talented quartet: Riley Watson, Luke Higgo, Sierrah Broadbelt and Danny Kish.
The six-day spectacle will unfold at the state-of-the-art Otopeni swimming complex, a facility with a seating capacity for 2,400 people and designed for world-class, international swimming events.
Cayman’s swimming contingent is gearing up for a busy competition, showcasing their versatility across multiple events.
Watson will compete in the 200 metre freestyle, 100m backstroke, 200m backstroke and 200m individual medley.
Higgo will take on the 1500m backstroke alongside the 100m backstroke, 200m backstroke and 200m individual medley.
Broadbelt is set for the100m butterfly, 200m butterfly, 50m backstroke, and 100m backstroke.
On the sprint front, Kish will challenge in the 50m freestyle, 100m freestyle, 50m butterfly and 100m butterfly.
Beyond their individual pursuits, all Cayman swimmers will combine forces for both the 4x100m medley mixed relay and 4x100m freestyle mixed relay.
Broadbelt, 16, shared her mindset with the Compass as she enters the final phase of her preparation.
“Physically, I’m feeling strong and well prepared. I’ve been working really closely with my coaches back in the UK to fine tune all the details,” she said.
Broadbelt said she’s very excited and motivated for the championships as it will be her first time representing Cayman at a world aquatics event, yet her last competition at the junior level.
She added, “I’m really looking forward to each [of my events], especially because I’ve made some solid progress in my times this season.”
Her goals for the competition are clear and focused on growth, specifically gaining additional experience, hitting new personal bests and making it into a semi-final.
Drawing from previous experiences, she emphasised a crucial lesson: “I’ve learned from past competitions how important it is to manage nerves and stay focused on my own race, so that’s something I will be carrying with me into this one.”
Competing in this major event is a huge stepping stone for Broadbelt, and she believes it will help her build toward bigger meets.
“While the World Junior Championships are a major focus for me right now, I’m also thinking long term – especially with the next Olympic cycle in mind,” she said.
