By Alric Lindsay
This holiday season, 16-year-old Sierrah Broadbelt from the Cayman Islands has every reason to celebrate and inspire. Not only did she showcase her talent by competing against some of Britain’s top senior swimmers at the GoCardless Swim England National Winter Championships in Ponds Forge, Sheffield, from December 5 to 8, 2024, but she also set new national swimming records for the Cayman Islands, proving that determination and hard work can lead to remarkable achievements.
Records broken
200m Individual Medley
Broadbelt’s record setting swims in short course metres races started with the 200m Individual Medley in the morning heat session where she clocked 2:20.18. This is a new Cayman Islands 15-17 age group record.
100m Backstroke
Following her 15-17 age group setting record, Broadbelt swam on December 6, 2024, in the morning heat of the 100m backstroke. She finished that heat in 1:02.07.
Outdoing her heat time, she swam in the junior finals, setting a new Cayman Islands record of 1:01.54.
Given her hard work and performance, Broadbelt is destined to excel further in the backstroke, hopefully arriving at 1:01.00 soon.
200m Butterfly
Also on December 6, 2024, she competed in the heats of the 200m Butterfly, finishing at 2:16.08.
She surpassed this in the B finals with a time of 2:14.27, accomplishing another Cayman Islands national record.
50m Backstroke
The next day, December 7, 2024, Broadbelt finished the morning heat of the 50m Backstroke in 28.51. She would later achieve 28.03 giving her second place in the B finals.
50m Butterfly
Adding to her accomplishments, she came fourth in the preminiaries of the 50m Butterfly with a time of 27.48. She improved her time to 27.33 in the A Finals.
100m Butterfly
Broadbelt also showed consistency in the 100m Butterfly heats with 1:00.55. She would come close to this in the B finals with 1:00.66.
100m Individual Medley
One of Broadbelt’s last races was the 100m Individual Medley. She finised the morning preliminaries in 1:04.66, surpassing this in the junior final with 1:04.95. It is understood that this is also a new Cayman Islands National record.
Broadbelt reacts
Commenting on her performance, Broadbelt reportedly said:
As a six time finalist, breaking three Cayman Islands Senior National Records and a 15-17 Age Group Record, it was a very successful meet for me [that] I’d been working hard for and targeted since the start of the season.
Asked what is next for the 16 year old, Sierrah responded, “In January I will shift my training and focus to long course [50m pool] in preparation for the Carifta Swimming Championships in Trinidad over Easter”.
