T&T Olympic bronze medal swimmer George Bovell III picked up a silver medal in the men’s 100 metres backstroke B-final when the three-day Indianapolis Swimming Grand Prix held at the Indiana University Natatorium ended on Saturday night. Bovell III, 28, competing for the Wolverine-Michigan club sped home in 55.65 seconds, a career best and national record, to trail Daniel Orzechowski (55.44) while Felix Wolfe was third in 55.83. The other finishers in the B-final were Matt Patton (56.10), Preston Jenkins (56.20), Luis Rojas (56.57), Rexford Tullius (56.82) and Fabbio Santi (56.97). In the morning heats, Bovell was the 14th fastest qualifier overall in 56.59. His previous best mark in the 100m backstroke was 55.80 at the Pan American Games while he did a 56.60 on his way to one of his three gold medals at the Clearwater Aquatic meet held in Florida in January.

His two other gold medals in Florida were 100m freestyle and 50m freestyle. On Friday, the top T&T swimmer got bronze in the 50m freestyle A-final in 21.89 seconds, just behind USA’s Nathan Adrian (21.88) while 2000 Olympic champion, Anthony Ervin got third in 22.24. The times by Adrian and Bovell were the fourth and fifth fastest in the world this year and was also the fastest time for the T&T swimmer in a textile suit. The feat by Bovell III has made him a top medal contender for this summer’s London Olympics as his 21.89 clocking has only been bettered by four other swimmers considering all other major swimming countries have already held their Olympic trials. The other finishers in the final were Josh Schneider (22.43), Cullen Jones (22.70), Octavio Alesi (22.73), Roy-Allan Burch (22.76) and Barry Murphy (22.89).

In the heats, Bovell III was the top qualifier in 22.15 seconds followed by Ervin (22.56) and Schneider (22.62). Adrian was the fourth fastest in 22.69, while Murphy (22.71), Burch (22.75), Jones (22.77) and Alesi (22.84) were the other qualifiers.
A day earlier he won the men’s 100m freestyle C-Final in 49.94, his best in season time to finish ahead of Nirmo Shapira (50.27) and Davis Tarwater (50.27). This after Bovell had stopped the clock at 50.85 seconds in the morning heats for 21st spot overall.

-Nigel Simon

Source:www.guardian.co.tt