'Island Games to benefit young swimmers'

This summer’s Island Games will steel Bermuda’s young swimmers for bigger tests ahead, according to national coach Ben Smith.

Smith revealed the 16-strong squad — eight men and eight women — earlier this week that will represent the host nation  at the Games from July 13.

It contains established names such as Roy-Allan Burch and Lisa Blackburn as well young Maddie Moore and Jesse Washington, just two of the nations up-and-coming swimmers who performed so impressively at the recent Carifta Championships.

Smith believes having the likes of Washington and Moore feed off the experience of the older swimmers bodes well for the future of the sport in Bermuda.

He told the Bermuda Sun: “The hard part is that our older athletes are based abroad because they need to be based somewhere where there is more of a depth of fast swimmers.

“So this is an opportunity for the younger swimmers to learn from these guys in how they deal with a meet like this.”

He added: “A lot of the swimmers [our youngsters] will be competing against will be older, Maddie, Jesse and Shannon (Hassell) are 13 and 14 so it’s a great opportunity for them to learn, especially with big meets next year including the Youth Olympics where a lot of the swimmers they compete against will be older.”

Smith also spoke of his delight that two-time Olympian Burch, who has also competed at the Commonwealth Games and the World Championships, will be competing in July.

Smith revealed the country’s leading swimmer is currently going through a technique switch — changing from a straight-arm stroke — as he bids to become less specialist on the 50m sprint and able to move up to the 100m.

Smith said: “Roy is going through a stroke change as this is the first year working towards the next Olympics.

“He’s feeling really good about where he sits and is performing well considering he made the change.”