Two-time Olympic T&T swimmer Dylan Carter secured his fourth men’s Central American and Caribbean (CAC) “Swimmer of the Year” honor awarded by SwimSwam.com.
Carter, who is preparing for the upcoming World Aquatic Championships in Doha enjoyed another successful 2023 season to continue his reign as one of the most successful swimmers in history from CAC.
At the 2023 Jalisco International Swimming Cup in February, Carter took first in the 100m freestyle in 49.18 seconds, making him the only swimmer in the field to go under 50 seconds in the race where he split the race 24.05/25.13.
The 100m freestyle also registered as a FINA ‘A’ cut, qualifying Carter for his third Olympic Games in Paris, France. Carter went on to take second in the 50m free (22.47) and third in the 50m fly (23.70).
At the 2023 Pro Swim Series in Fort Lauderdale, Carter, clocking a 48.28 in the 100m freestyle, won the race. Carter later tied with Michael Andrew for gold in the 50m fly with a 23.25.
Even though Carter only swam in one of four Pro Swim Series meets, he emerged with the fastest time of the series in the 100m free and hold the fastest time in the 50m fly alongside Andrew.
Carter then went on to race at the Mare Nostrum series in Canet, Barcelona, and Monaco before competing at the 2023 AP Race International Meet in London, finishing with a victory in the 50m free in 22.24 in London.
He posted a new lifetime best and meet record in the 50m freestyle at the 2023 CAC Games, clocking a 21.87. He also topped the podium in the 100m freestyle (48.49) and 50m butterfly (23.32), and also took silver in the 50m backstroke (25.55). He also helped T&T to a bronze medal finish in the 4x100m freestyle relay, leading off in 48.65.
The swimmer kept the momentum at the 2023 FINA World Championships in the 100m freestyle and the 50m fly, where he placed tenth overall among men in the 2023 FINA World Cup standings, accumulating a total of 125.3 points.
Carter tied for second in the 50m fly at the Berlin stop of the World Cup and also took third in the 100m free. In Athens, Carter picked up a bronze in the 50m free, as well as a silver in the 100m free. Carter finished the World Cup with another silver in the 100m free in Budapest.
Carter blasted a 21.69 in the 50m LCM freestyle at the 2023 Aquatic Sports Association of T&T Invitational Championships, which would have placed fourth at the FINA World Championships. Carter won the men’s 50m free the following day in a 21.99, making him the only swimmer sub-23 in the field.
This is Carter’s fourth time winning the “Swammy” for Male Central American and Caribbean Swimmer of the Year, only the second person from T&T to do so, with Olympic bronze medal winner, George Bovell III, the winner of the inaugural award in 2014.
Among the honorable mentions for the 2023 award were Miguel de Lara of Mexico, Lamar Taylor of The Bahamas, Mikel Schreuders of Aruba, and Jordan Crooks of the Cayman Islands.
