LOCAL swim fans will have to wait until the final day of the Aquatics Sports Association of Trinidad and Tobago (ASATT) National Open Long Course Swimming Championships for the clash between TTO stars Nikoli Blackman and Dylan Carter. Carter opted to swim a time-trial 50m butterfly in the final heat of Thursday night’s men’s 100m freestyle heats, before swimming down the remainder of the race at the National Aquatic Centre in Couva. Under World Aquatics rules, freestyle events may be swum using any of the four strokes, allowing Carter to complete his butterfly segment. He stopped the clock at a season’s best 22.99 seconds at the midway point of the heat, then eased off to finish 59th in 1:06.51—below the A standard for the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore in July. Carter had already secured that standard in February at the ASATT National Age-Group Championships, held at the same venue. Carter’s swim followed immediately after Blackman had smashed a new personal best of 48.56 seconds in the previous heat—his prior PB was 49.17, cheered on by his local coach, Joseph McLeod, at poolside. Carter himself applauded Blackman’s effort moments before taking to the blocks. It was a disappointing turn for spectators hoping for a head-to-head clash in last night’s men’s 100m freestyle final. However, Blackman’s career-best now places him in pole position—he is the fastest TTO swimmer over the distance dating back to Carter’s October 2023 48.52 done at the World Aquatics World Cup leg in Budapest, Hungary (48.52)—to be this country’s sole entrant in the event at the Singapore Worlds. Among the 50m and 100m freestyles, the longer sprint offers Blackman his best chance to outpace Carter, who holds the national record in the 100m. Nevertheless, Carter—who has fashioned himself into a 50m specialist—appears to be concentrating on the one-lap dashes in both butterfly and freestyle, likely influenced by the IOC’s approval of 50m stroke events for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. On Thursday night, Carter also scratched in the men’s 50m backstroke before returning for the final heat of the men’s 100m butterfly. He led at the turn in 22.93 seconds, ultimately finishing eighth in the A final with a time of 1:00.88. Alabama sophomore Zarek Wilson was the second-fastest qualifier in the men’s 100m freestyle heats (50.55) and topped all-comers in the men’s 100m butterfly heats with 55.20 seconds. Jamaica’s Nelson Denny posted the second-fastest butterfly time (56.30), while Cadell Lyons secured the third-fastest time (56.54). The only medal event last night was the mixed 800m freestyle, won by Isaiah Alexander of Marlins in 9:28.48, followed by his Marlins Aquatics Club teammate Zion Applewhaite (9:43.63). Tidal Wave Aquatics’ Stachys Harley took bronze in 9:50.02. Finals of the 50m backstroke and 200m individual medley were also scheduled for last night’s session. The finals of the 50m backstroke and 200m individual medley events were also scheduled to splash off last night.