During the 35th Annual Winter Championships 2025 (Short Course – yards) held in Plantation, Fort Lauderdale, four intensive competition days took place. This event is considered a major competition on the regional swimming calendar, with over 1,200 swimmers from various countries and clubs participating.
The seven athletes representing Stingray Swimming were:
Xendrick de Man (16), Tyler Richards (16), Landon Laaf (22), Yeshua Maduro (15), D-Leylah Gerrel (14), Vitali Inocencia (12), Emma Ponson (12).
Preparation and Focus
Before the official opening of the championship (December 11–14, 2025), the Stingray swimmers had an extra training session at Davie Pine Island Fitness & Aquatics Center with Elite Coach Gustavo Rasia from Team Azura Sr. This training served as the final preparation for the short course yards, helping athletes refine technique, pace, and mental focus. The team arrived at the Plantation Aquatic Complex highly motivated and mentally focused under the guidance and leadership of Coach Paolo Inocencia.
Competition Summary
The seven athletes represented Stingray in a total of 53 events, resulting in 45 personal bests (85% of all events). Four athletes achieved personal bests in all their events, and female swimmer Vitali Inocencia won three silver medals. Over the competition days, seven races reached the finals, with one athlete reaching alternate finalist status.
These statistics clearly demonstrate the progress, consistency, and competitive maturity of the athletes. Achieving such a high percentage of personal bests reflects the effectiveness of their training.
Team Pride
Beyond the medals, the greatest achievement was the team attitude: mutual support, discipline, focus, and determination. Every race reflected the athletes’ commitment to personal and sporting development.
Stingray Swimming Team is extremely proud of all its athletes representing Aruba in Plantation. This performance confirms that the team is on the right track and that the future of our swimmers is bright. We wish all athletes continued success in their upcoming competitions—keep pushing, keep growing, and keep making Aruba proud.
