Bermuda’s senior girls’ relay team delivered a masterclass at the XXXIX Carifta Aquatics Championships, securing the island’s first gold medal of the 2026 meet on a scintillating second night of finals.
The quartet of Violet Smith, Teagan Mewett, Marleigh Howes, and Katherine Wheddon brought the Pierre Samot Community Aquatic Centre to fever pitch. In a display defined by clinical transitions, the Gombey Warriors stopped the clock in 4:33.17 to claim the 15-17 Girls 400m Medley Relay title, surging ahead of their regional rivals to take the top step of the podium.
While relay gold was the highlight, several Bermudian individual finalists found themselves agonizingly close to the medals. Dominic Wright (13-14 Boys 200m Freestyle) and Katherine Wheddon (15-17 Girls 200m Freestyle) both battled to fourth-place finishes.
The backstroke events followed a similar pattern of near-misses. Rory Shepherd claimed fourth in the 13-14 Boys 100m in 1:04.52, while Connor Hupman produced a standout sub-minute swim of 59.29 to take fourth in the 15-17 Boys final.
In the grueling 400m Individual Medley, Teagan Mewett backed up her relay heroics with a fifth-place finish. Despite the narrow individual misses, the historic relay triumph ensures Bermuda heads into day three with immense momentum and their first championship title safely secured.
