Swimming: Abeiku Jackson sets personal best

Ghana’s male representative in swimming at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, Abeiku Gyekye Jackson yesterday lowered his personal best but failed to qualify for the next stage after recording a record of 24.30 seconds in the 50 metres freestyle.

In finishing sixth in his heats yesterday, lowered his previous national record of 24.41 seconds which he set at the Ghana National Swimming Open Championship earlier this year at which he obliterated the existing record of 24.74 seconds.

Yesterday, the 16-year-old competed in Heat Five against older competitors such as Abdoul Khadre Niane of Senegal,Meli Malani of Fiji, Maksim Inic of Montenegro, Ahmed Attellesey of Libya, Rahman Md Mahfizur of Bangladesh, Lum Zhaveli of Kosovo and Dulguun Batsaikhan of Mongolia.

Last Tuesday, another teenage sensation, Kaya Forson, also recorded a personal best time of 2:16.02 in the Women’s 200m freestyle as she competed against Shivani Shivani from India and Matelita Buadromo from Fiji but failed to qualify.

Both Kaya, 14, and Jackson obtained wild card entry into the Rio Games -- their first participation at world sports’ biggest global gathering.