by RJ Michaels

• CARIFTA gold medallist and 7-time OECS swim champion
• Competed in Men’s 100m butterfly, 100m freestyle, and 50m butterfly in Dakar
• Season included appearances at CARIFTA Aquatic Championships and Central American and Caribbean Games

CARIFTA gold medallist and 7-time OECS swim champion Jacob Collymore concluded a challenging 3-event campaign at the 2026 Youth Olympic Games in Dakar, Senegal, competing in the Men’s 100m butterfly, 100m freestyle, and 50m butterfly.

The Grenadian opened his campaign on 1 November in Lane 8 of Heat 2 in the 100m butterfly. He recorded an opening 50m split of 27.40 seconds to stay in mid-pack contention before stopping the clock at 1:01.07 to place eighth in his heat.

With only the top 8 fastest times across all four preliminary heats advancing to the final, Collymore did not progress, placing 25th overall in a 30-swimmer field. The mark sat outside his personal best of 58.48 seconds, set at the 2026 CARIFTA Aquatic Championships.

Returning to the pool on 2 November, Collymore swam out of Lane 5 in the heats of the 100m freestyle. He opened with a 26.81-second split over the first 50 metres, touching the wall in 55.51 seconds to finish seventh in his heat. The heat was won by Suriname’s Sean-Verno Dipokromo in 53.26 seconds. Collymore placed 44th overall in a 73-athlete field, finishing just off his lifetime best of 54.38 seconds.

Reflecting on his performance ahead of his final event, the same discipline in which he copped his first CARIFTA gold, Collymore remained focused on the task ahead. “The competition has been good,” Collymore said. “My races are going well, Dakar has been very welcoming, and I’m excited for my final race.”

On 4 November, Collymore delivered his highest overall placing in the 50m butterfly. Swimming out of Lane 3, he executed a clean sprint to finish fifth in his heat with a time of 26.11 seconds. The performance placed him 20th overall in the field, narrowly missing his personal best of 25.45 seconds.

Reflecting on the tour, National Swim Coach Justin Steele shared his appraisal of the 16-year-old’s campaign, “It was a challenging meet for him, and I hope this can be a learning experience. His results are a direct representation of his preparation.”

Collymore’s three-event slate in Dakar caps off an intensive international season that included appearances at the CARIFTA Aquatic Championships and the Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games. The 16-year-old now shifts his focus toward the upcoming 2027 season and regional qualifying circuit.

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