Barbados: A 12-year-old lady named Saniya received gold medals within the 100m and 200m breaststroke within the Rodney Heights Aquatic Centre (RHAC) Swim meet in Saint Lucia. She additionally captured silver within the 200m IM and bronze within the 50m and 100m butterfly.
Saniya is a CARIFTA medalist after successful two particular person silver medals, one bronze medal within the ladies’ 11-12 age group breaststroke occasions, and one silver medal from a relay occasion on the 2024 CARIFTA Video games, which had been held within the Bahamas over the Easter weekend.
Saniya began her swimming journey on the tender age of two, when she was first launched to the pool, however the toddler cried her coronary heart out at each lesson and her mum thought that was the tip of swimming for her daughter and she or he pulled her out.
Nonetheless, issues modified when Saniya entered St. Angela’s Faculty the place swimming was part of the curriculum and she or he was again within the pool and this time she liked it.
Across the age of seven, her mum signed her up with the Olympian Swim Membership beneath the steerage of coach Roydon Blades and she or he was shocked to see the transformation made by her daughter. The membership supplied Saniya with the groundwork essential for growing her expertise within the water and she or he was quickly promoted to the aggressive group with Coach Blades.
All was not straightforward splashing for Saniya who got here practically final in each race in her first aggressive swim, however that didn’t deter her, she was simply completely happy to be within the pool. She was then inspired by Coach Blades and when she understood that to do higher meant to coach tougher, she was keen to place within the work required and her progress has been outstanding.
Saniya competed in a number of native meets and she or he stored bettering on her occasions and in 2022, she was named on the nationwide staff for the Goodwill Video games that yr. She competed within the ladies 9-10 age group successful a silver within the 50m breast stroke and two bronze medals from relays.
As she continued to enhance, she certified for her first CARIFTA look for the championships in Curacao final yr however returned with out a medal and decided to do higher, she claimed 4 medals this yr.
Saniya now swims with Seaside Aquatics Swim Membership, beneath the steerage of Coach Terrence Haynes and she or he is seeing great enchancment in her swimming. She is trying ahead to the upcoming Aquatic Centre Worldwide meet on the finish of Could and she or he is targeted and devoted to to creating the staff for the CCCAN Video games in Mexico this summer season.
An energetic member of the St. Patricks Roman Catholic Church the place she would on events learn the lesson for the day’s service, Saniya attended St. Angela’s Major Faculty from the age of three the place she excelled and maintained excessive grades.
She was a member of the college’s choir and she or he represented the college in swimming. She loved gymnastics for a variety of years and she or he additionally discovered to play the piano.
