Grenadian swimmer sets targets

Like Kirani James, Rondell Bartholomew and others who are blazing the trails of international stardom at a very young age, we must keep tabs on this little swimming sensation, who only turned 13 last month, but is already ‘’splashing’’ her way to major achievements.

Oreoluwa Zoe Cherebin

Grenada Amateur Swimming Association has announced Oréoluwa Zoe Cherebin as their top female swimmer of 2010.

Twelve year-old Oréoluwa was born 24th December 1997 and is currently a form two student of St. Joseph's Convent St. George's. She is described as a brilliant student who is among the top students of her class. Oréoluwa is a passionate swimmer, who has a fun loving personality and is very active in her school life. She participates in Girl Guides, Dancing, Debate Club and Chess Club. She also hopes to join pan.

When not training for competition she participates in netball and the Jason Roberts Football Camp.

Oré oluwa grew up around the Good Hope Pool and at the tender age of two made her debut in swimming when she fell into the pool and was immediately enrolled with a Club. She is a disciplined swimmer who juggles home assignments at nights, after training at the Pool for about three hours after school, five to six days a week.

Oréoluwa dreams for the future are to keep improving on times, to always do her personal best, to be an honour student, to represent her country at the Olympics one day and finally to attain a scholarship to become a successful Dental Surgeon.

Achievements:
2006: Oreoluwa first represented her country in St. Lucia at the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Championships in the eight and under girls’ category with a brilliant performance in the 25m breaststroke.

2007: Represented her Club Grenfin at St. Lucia and Barbados Invitational Meets, again performing well in the 25m and 50m breaststroke.

2008: Local age group Champion in these various Meets, Alpha Junior School Meet, National Inter-Primary School Swim Meet and Grenfin's Invitational Meet. Gold medallist in the 400m and 800m cycle race at Alpha Junior annual Sports Meet and also medalled in the 200m and 400m races. She accomplished her first Cross Harbour Swim placing third in her age group. She ended the year in St. Lucia at OECS bringing home gold in all her breaststroke taking second place overall.

2009-2010 was a fantastic period for Oreoluwa.

2009 started with her being the age group and overall champion at her school annual Swim Meet taking all gold in every stroke.  In March 2009 she placed second in her age group in the annual Cross Harbour Swim. In March 2010 at Annual Cross Harbour she placed 1st in her age group and fifth overall in the women's finishing under one hour. She travelled to Gouyave and came first in the Gouyave Open Water Swim.

In April 2009 she travelled to RACH Meet in St. Lucia and placed third overall trophy with medals in the followings, 2gold in the 50m and 100m breaststroke, one silver and five bronze medals in the other strokes. She did all this, while preparing for Common Entrance examination.

In May 2009 and 2010 she again took part in the Grenada Annual Triathlon spearheading her team to first place in their age group for a third year.  She placed second in the 800m open, water swim female. She wrote the 2009 Common entrance placing first in her school and seventh place nationally. After this she participated in her school's annual sports, running the 100m, 200m 400m and 800m successfully ending up with two gold medals in the 400m and 800m cycle races with some exciting rides.

In June 2009 she represented her school, in the First Caribbean Inter - Primary National Swim meet, taking gold in all strokes, age group trophy and overall female champion. The month ended with Ore `oluwa, helping her school Alpha Junior to victory in the annual in the National inter Primary Private School Sports.

She completed her primary school year in August 2009, by representing Grenada at the Goodwill Swim Championship in Barbados. She was the only Grenadian to medalled achieving silver in the 50m breaststroke 38.02 and bronze in the 100m breaststroke 1.27.09. Oreoluwa started the new term with gold and silver medals in Grenfin's Invitational Meet, again being the age group champion. In November at the OECS Championship in Grenada, she helped the national team in by placing second overall in her age group with 10 medals, three gold, four silver and three bronze and a national record.

In December 2009, she swam for her new school St. Joseph's Convent at the Inter- Secondary School Meet and place first in her age group with gold and silver medals.  Later that month she travelled to Trinidad for their annual Invitational Meet and medalled with gold and silver in the 50m breast and 100m respectively and placed 5th in the 200m breast.

After qualifying for CARIFTA, she attended the Barbados Long Course in February 2010, to bring home gold and silver in the 50m and 100m breaststroke and finished with an amazing CARIFTA qualifying time in the 200m breaststroke dropping 20 seconds.

She went off to CARIFTA in Jamaica and did an outstanding performance in the 50m breast getting gold for Grenada with 38.25 and placing 5th in the 100m breast with 1.27.61 and 7th in the 200m breast 3.11.86. National pride was felt when Grenada's national anthem was played.

In May 2010, she attended Barbados Invitational with another stunning performance, gold in the 50m breast silver in the 100mbreast 4th in the 400 freestyle two 5th places in the 50m back and 50m fly strokes.

In June, the Caribbean Islands Swimming Championships (CISC) in Cuba was another exciting event for Oreoluwa, winning against Cuba with a golden time in the 50m breast of 37.42  and silver in 100m breast  1.23.65  another personal best and finishing this off with fifth place in the 200m breast 3.07 setting personal best times and national records.

At the Grenfin's invitational she set three national records in the 50m breast, 100m breast and the 200m IM, rounding this off with ten gold medals and her age group trophy.

Oreoluwa has set her mind on qualifying for CARIFTA, Central American and Caribbean Amateur Swimming Confederation (CCCAN) and any other Meets she can qualify for while still being among the top students in her grade. Her dream for summer 2011 is to be able to train at a Swim Camp in Florida, to enhance her performance.