Skyla Connor wins nine medals as St Kitts and Nevis take 11 at OECS swimming championships

BASSETERRE, St Kitts. St Kitts and Nevis swimmers returned home on Monday evening with 11 medals from the 34th OECS Swimming Championships in Saint Lucia, with one Nevisian swimmer responsible for the bulk of the tally.

The team won three gold, four silver and four bronze medals. Skyla Connor of Nevis took nine of them, three gold, four silver and two bronze, competing across freestyle, breaststroke, backstroke and butterfly events.

Other podium finishes

Gaj Leonce of St Kitts won bronze in the 50m butterfly. The federation also took bronze in the boys' 10 and under relay, with a squad made up of two swimmers from each island.

The St Kitts members of the team were met at the Robert L. Bradshaw International Airport by a group led by the Minister of Sports, Samal Duggins. The Nevis contingent arrived at Oualie Pier, where coach James Weekes and team manager Mackie Tross gave an update on the results.

The performance has been described locally as record-breaking and a historic haul, although no figures from previous championships were published alongside the results to show how it compares.

Outside Connor's nine medals, the team won two bronzes, one individual and one in the relay.

The swimmers were representing the Federation at the championships, which bring together teams from across the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States.

Even so, the results are a significant return for a small swimming programme competing against larger OECS neighbours, and the relay bronze suggests a younger group coming through on both islands.