National swimmer George Bovell III, who won his second consecutive gold medal at the FINA/Arena Swimming Short Course World Cup on Sunday, yesterday said he was getting crucial feedback from his local coach and Minister of Sport, Anil Roberts, which is playing a major part in his improvement. “My performances are consistently improving, and I am in contact with my coach Anil Roberts, who is watching the races online and giving me crucial feedback in terms of mistakes I may be making, and race strategy,” Bovell said.

On Sunday, Bovell won gold in the men’s 50-metre freestyle, clocking a national record of 20.82 seconds, which was his first sub-21 clocking over the event. One day earlier, Bovell touched the wall in 51.56 seconds for his first gold in the men’s 100m IM. The time also bettered the 51.87 which he clocked while claiming silver in Doha, Qatar, last week. Bovell is expected to arrive in Moscow, Russia with his eyes firmly set on repeating his success when competition resumes tomorrow. The 29-year-old obtained his Russian visa yesterday and was finalising plans for the two-day meet which will be held at the Olympiisky Swimming Pool, tomorrow and Thursday.

Commenting on his performances, Bovell said: “It was another big win tonight (Sunday), lifetime best and new national record.” With regard to his win over American Anthony Ervin, who was fifth in the men’s 50m freestyle final at the London Olympic Games, Bovell who was seventh in the final said: “This rivalry is getting red hot, causing both of us to smash through the 21-second barrier. “It was a sweet way to exact revenge by beating him so handily after he forced me to settle for silver on the previous two occasions we raced.”

After three stops on the tour, Bovell who pocketed US$3,000 for his two wins, lies in third spot on the points ranking with 51, after he picked up 25 points in Stockholm to add to the 26 points he gathered during the first two legs in Dubai (13) and Doha (13). Australian Kenneth To leads the table with 70 points after he collected 20 on the weekend, while Japan’s Daiya Seto is second with 52 points and South Africa’s Chad Le Clos, fourth with 36. At the end of the eight stops, the top swimmer will collect US$100,000 while second gets US$50,000 and third, US$30,000. Following the meet in Moscow, the fourtime T&T Olympian will compete in Berlin, Germany, October 20-21; Beijing, China, November 2-3; Tokyo, Japan, November 6- 7 and Singapore, November 10-11.

-Nigel Simon

Source: www.guardian.co.tt