Jamaican swimmers, volleyballers bow into action
JAMAICAN athletes will kick off their participation in the second International Olympic Committee (IOC) Youth Olympics in Nanjing, China, tomorrow, taking part in two of the four sporting disciplines they are entered in.
Jamaicans will take part in the first rounds of beach volleyball and swimming on tomorrow’s first full day of competition with fencing on Monday, and track and field set to get under way on Wednesday.
The Jamaicans will seek to surpass the two medals won by Odean Skeen four years ago in the inaugural competition held in Malaysia. Skeen won the boys’ 100m gold medal in a then personal best 10.42 seconds and was part of the Americas medley relay team that won, as well.
Twenty athletes are down to represent Jamaica in China: 15 in track and field, two each in swimming and beach volleyball and one in fencing.
Rojay Hutchinson and Shavar Bryan make up the beach volleyball team that plays Brazil tomorrow, and Congo on Monday.
Timothy Wynter and Sidrell Williams will compete in swimming, each doing three events; Wynter will compete in the 50m backstroke, 100m backstroke and 200m backstroke, while Williams will contest the 50m freestyle, 50m butterfly and 100m butterfly events.
The UK-based Tia Simms-Lymn will be the lone fencer and will contest the women’s epee event.