“The best of the best” at annual Flowers Swim

From an even finish for first place to swimming on the verge of giving birth, the 30th annual Flowers Sea Swim served to be inspirational, while also featuring competitiveness amongst hundreds of athletes who participated.

“This year means the beginning of a new era,” said Frankie Flowers Sr, who placed 297th in the swim. “I have accomplished all of my dreams and ambitions for the past 30 years.”

The internationally recognised open water event, saw just under 450 swimmers take to the calm waters off Seven Mile Beach on Saturday (June 11).

Jake Bailey and Dominic Hilton tied for first place at 20:45.21, while Harper Barrowman finished .93 hundredths of a second behind Bailey and Hilton to claim first female overall in arguably the closest finish in the event’s history.

The one-mile swim between Coral Beach and the Ritz Carlton also featured the likes of prominent swimmer Oly Rush, Olympic gold medallists Ryan Lochte, Governor Martyn Roper, and many of Cayman’s own Olympians, including Heather Harvey who swam eight months pregnant.

“My swimming event has had more Olympians and elite swimmers than all other sporting events combined on the whole island,” Flowers said. “This is it; we have the best of the best.”