Plymouth College elite swimmer, Christian Homer, has won a gold medal in the inaugural World Youth Olympic Games in Singapore. Swimming for Trinidad and Tobago, it was his country's first gold medal at an Olympic event since Montreal in 1976.
Christian qualified for the final of the 50m backstroke as the top-seed, setting a new national record of 26.31 seconds in the semi-finals. He then went on to clock 26.36 seconds in the final of the one-length event at the Singapore Sport School Olympic-sized pool.
The multiple Carifta, Caribbean Island Swimming Championship (CISC) and Central American and Caribbean Age-Group Swimming Championships (CCCAN) champion had to defy large home crowd support for Singaporean, Kal Wee Ng Rainer, to touch the time pad first. Ng Rainer posted a 26.45 silver medal effort, while there was a tie for third place with Kuwait's Abdulah Altuwaini and Australia's Max Ackermann both clocking 26.46.
Describing the race, Christian said he executed his breakout from the start of the race perfectly and emerged at the surface of the water at the 15 mark ahead of the field. At the halfway mark, he said he increased his stroke rate. He started to get tired at about 40 metres, but increased his arm speed to compensate and just focused on the finish. When he touched the wall, he looked up at the scoreboard and saw first spot next to his name.
Christian said: "I am really proud, elated, relieved, excited and very happy. It was an amazing feeling to win gold. I was just buzzing!
"It has not really sunk in yet but it was great to represent my country. I'm glad all the hard work has paid off in this way."
