The Royal Caribbean International and Celebrity Cruises Community Aquatic Center came alive last weekend as it welcomed 87 athletes participating in 164 events at the 2025 Virgin Islands Swim Federation Short Course Swimming Championships on St. Thomas.
The event started on Friday, Oct. 31, with three teams: the St. Croix Dolphins, British Virgin Islands Barracudas Swim Team, and the host St. Thomas Swimming Association’s Stingrays. Each club had strong showings in various age categories of the three-day event.
Natalia Rivera, of the Stingrays, made a strong argument for the most valuable swimmer of this competition. Swimming in the 8 and under girls division, Rivera won the 50 Meter Freestyle, 25 Meter Freestyle, 200 Meter Freestyle, 100 Meter Freestyle, 25 Meter Butterfly, and 25 Meter Backstroke. She also displayed her talent in team competition, driving her team to wins in the 100 Meter Medley Relay, Mixed 100 Meter Freestyle Relay, and the 100 Meter Medley Relay.
Finnley Boulger was the top male swimmer in the under-8 Boys Division. Boulger, a St. Croix Dolphin, took home four individual honors, capturing gold in the 50 Meter Freestyle, 50 Meter Breaststroke, 25 Meter Butterfly, and 50 Meter Backstroke. Boulger also led his team to two relay gold medals, the 100 Meter Freestyle Relay and the 100 Meter Medley Relay.
The St. Thomas Stingrays 9-10-year-olds swam well all weekend. Milana Sayan touched the wall first in the 200 Meter Breaststroke, 50 Meter Breaststroke, 100 Meter Breaststroke, and 400 Meter Freestyle. Her teammate Bennett Auchincloss was equally impressive, winning the 50 Meter Freestyle, 100 Meter Backstroke, 200 Meter Freestyle, 50 Meter Butterfly, and 400 Meter Freestyle in the Boys 9-10 category. The duo teamed up to win the Mixed 200 Meter Medley Relay.
The St Croix Dolphins and Barracudas of the BVI dominated the 11-12 age group. Dolphin, Emma Whitworth won the Girls 11-12 100 Meter IM, 200 Meter Breaststroke, 50 Meter Breaststroke, 100 Meter Freestyle, 100 Meter Breaststroke, and 200 Meter IM. Her teammate Hannah Stewart finished first in the 100 Meter Backstroke, 50 Meter Butterfly, 50 Meter Backstroke, and 50 Meter Freestyle. Barracuda Harry Payne won seven individual races. They were Boys 11-12 in 50 Meter Freestyle, 200 Meter Breaststroke, 50 Meter Breaststroke, 100 Meter Freestyle, 50 Meter Butterfly, 400 Meter Freestyle, and 800 Meter Freestyle.
Reagan Uszenski also had impressive performances at the pool. She won the girls’ 13-14 50 Meter Freestyle, 100 Meter IM, 100 Meter Backstroke, 50 Meter Butterfly, 200 Meter IM, and 50 Meter Backstroke events. Cole Cullinan was the star in the boys’ 13-14 division, earning gold in the 200 Meter Butterfly, 200 Meter Freestyle, 1500 Meter Freestyle, 100 Meter Butterfly, and 400 Meter Freestyle.
Federation Championships. (Source photo by Mark J. Daniel)
The Dolphins from St. Croix outswam everyone in the 15-and-over Division in both the female and male categories. Lu Joseph was golden in the 800 Meter Freestyle, 50 Meter Freestyle, 100 Meter Backstroke, 200 Meter Freestyle, 100 Meter Freestyle, and the 400 Meter Freestyle. Daryan Maynard was the top male swimmer, finishing first in the 200 Meter Butterfly, 100 Meter Backstroke, 400 Meter IM, 200 Meter Backstroke, and the 100 Meter Butterfly. Maynard’s teammates Scott Roth and Cameron Cullinan earned seven more gold medals in the boys 15 and over division.
Next up for the United States Virgin Islands swimmers are the 2025 Puerto Rico Championships, Dec. 4-7.
