NIKOLI Blackman becomes Trinidad and Tobago’s first swimmer to get a gold medal at the World Aquatics Junior Swimming Championships.
Swimming out of lane five in Netanya, Israel on Thursday, Blackman clocked 22.35 seconds in the 50 metres freestyle.
The 18-year-old Blackman, of the University of Tennessee, was fourth off the starters’ block, but by midway he made up for it and positioned himself to take the gold.
Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley posted a photo of Blackman on his Facebook page congratulating him.
Results:
1. Nikoli Blackman (T&T) – 22.35 seconds
2. Flynn Southam (Australia) – 22.43 secs
3. Lorenzo Ballarati (Italy) – 22.47 secs
4. Mikhail Povaliaev (Israel) – 22.59 secs
5. Davide Passafaro (Italy) – 22.66 secs
6. Javier Nunez (Dominican Republic) – 22.73 secs
7. Diggory Dillingham (USA) – 22.75 secs
8. Paul Dardis (Canada) – 22.87 secs
