Jordan Crooks, the reigning king of sports in the Cayman Islands, has cemented his legacy once more by earning a bronze medal at the World Aquatics Swimming Championships in Budapest, Hungary, on Thursday.
This marks not only his second podium finish at the prestigious event but also the first medal for a Caribbean athlete in this edition of the championship.
Crooks, 22, delivered a stellar performance in the 100-metre freestyle final, as he clocked a brisk 45.48 seconds behind American Jack Alexy (45.38s) and Brazil’s Guiherme Santos (45.47s).
This latest triumph adds to Crooks’ impressive résumé, which includes a gold medal in the 50-metre freestyle at the same event in 2022. His ability to excel off the turn has become a defining feature of his swimming style and has earned him recognition as one of the sport’s best in this discipline.
Crooks made waves even before the final, as he dominated his heat on Wednesday with a blistering time of 44.95 seconds. That performance not only set a new championship record but also placed him just 0.11 seconds shy of the world record. His time tied him for the third-fastest short course swimmer in history, behind only Kyle Chalmers (44.84s) and Amaury Leveaux (44.94s).
The bronze medal in Budapest solidifies Crooks’ status as a trailblazer for Cayman Islands swimming and a rising star on the global stage. From becoming his nation’s first world champion in 2022 to competing in the Olympic finals in Paris, Crooks continues to break barriers and inspire a new generation of athletes in the region.
He will return to the pool on Saturday for action in the 50-metre freestyle, where he will aim to add another chapter to his storied career.
Meanwhile, Trinidad and Tobago’s Zuri Ferguson continued her record-breaking form at the event, as she became the first female swimmer from the Twin Island Republic to dip under 28 seconds in the 50m backstroke.
Swimming out of lane one in heat three, the 17-year-old Ferguson clocked 27.83 seconds to finish fifth. She broke the previous national record of 28.69 and the 15-17 record of 29.30.
However, Ferguson’s time was not quick enough to make the semi-finals, as she saw placed 32nd overall.
The Bahamian sensation Lamar Taylor also accomplished another national record feat in the men’s 50m backstroke with an impressive time of 23.51 seconds, adding to national records in the men’s 50m butterfly and 100m freestyle earlier in the meet.
Despite this achievement, Taylor narrowly missed out on the semi-finals, finishing in a tie for 21st overall.