Seventeen-year-old Attleboro High School student Zuri Ferguson is set to dive into competitive action for TT at the Paris Olympics in the women’s 100-metre backstroke event. She will be the first athlete to represent TT at the games, competing in heat two on July 29 at 5:13 am TT time.
Dylan Carter, an experienced campaigner, will also be representing TT at the Olympics. Carter, participating in his third Olympics, will compete in the men’s 50m and 100m freestyle events. His events will take place on July 30 and August 1, respectively.
Ferguson will be competing in lane six of her 100m backstroke heat, among 38 swimmers contesting five heats. The top 16 swimmers will advance to the semifinals, with the final scheduled for July 30.
Excited for her debut at the Olympics, Ferguson shared on Instagram: “Ready to rumble. #Olympics.” She expressed gratitude for having the chance to train alongside Carter and benefit from his experience and guidance.
Ferguson received a nomination from World Aquatics to compete at the games through the universality places clause, despite not meeting the qualifying times. Her entry time is the fourth-best in her heat, with competitors like Kazakhstan’s Xeniya Ignatova and Israel’s Aviv Barzelay leading the pack.
Having previously shined at the CCCAN Championships in Mexico, where she won a gold medal in the 200m backstroke, Ferguson will be looking to make a memorable impact at the Olympics. Stay tuned as she aims to place among the top swimmers in the 100m backstroke event!