Jordan Crooks, the reigning World Champion from the Cayman Islands, made his presence felt at the NCAA Division I Champs with a stunning swim that further solidified his position as the leader of the CARIFTA region in the yards pool. The Tennessee swimmer clocked an impressive time of 18.44 (split 8.81), following swims of 18.25 and 18.32 in the 50-free event.
Crooks’ strong performance helped Tennessee place fourth in the 200-yard freestyle relay, setting a new school record of 1:14.68, crushing their previous best time of 1:15.32 set at the 2023 SECs. This was also the team’s first top-eight finish since 2009 and their best place since winning the Silver in 2001.
The Cayman Islands had not seen such a strong showing since brothers Brett and Shaune Fraser placed 7th in 2010 with the Florida Gators. They provided the first and second leg splits of 19.75 and 19.35, respectively, to record a total time of 1:17.96.
While Crooks’ swim was impressive, the top performances in this event came from Trinidad and Tobago’s George Bovell III won three medals. In 2006, he won Gold in 1:16.15, with an anchor split of 18.72. In 2005, he won Silver with a time of 1:16.00, anchored by a split of 18.74.
However, his most notable performance came in 2004 when he was a member of the Four Horsemen that set a world record. The format that year was in short course meters, and the Dutch had the world record at 1:25.55. Auburn broke it twice with times of 1:25.46 and 1:23.75, with Bovell swimming the lead leg in 21.40.
Crooks’ performance is a testament to his exceptional talent and hard work, and he continues to shine on the NCAA stage. With his leadership and determination, he will undoubtedly remain a force to be reckoned with in the CARIFTA region and beyond.
