72 nationalities including Aruba will participate in the IAAF/AL-Bank World Half Marathon Championships in Copenhagen Saturday 29 March 2014

If all runners are going to be cheered along by flag-waving spectators on the 29 March
2014 in the streets of Copenhagen, as many as 72 different flags will be needed as 72 different
nationalities have signed up to participate in the World Half Marathon Championships.

"It's amazing to have so many different nationalities taking part in the race. The great interest
among foreign runners place our event in the very top of the international league”, says the Director of the Danish Athletic Federation, Jakob Larsen.

The country, outside of Denmark, participating with the absolute largest number of  runners is Sweden.
The Swedes make up about a third of the foreign participants. Norwegian
runners represent about one-fifth, while British and German runners each represent
about a tenth of the international runners. The race consists of runners from all over the
world. Among the 72 overseas participating countries are United States, Australia, Brazil, Iraq,
Mexico, Barbados,The Dominican Republic & Aruba

 "We are looking forward to welcoming so many nationalities in Copenhagen and give them an
unforgettable experience with running through our charming capital," says Sport Event Director,
Lars Vallentin from Wonderful Copenhagen.

Quick facts about the IAAF/AL-Bank World Half Marathon Championships 2014
Date: 29 March 2014
Place: Copenhagen, Denmark
Organisers: The Danish Athletic Federation, Sport Event Denmark, Wonderful Copenhagen and the
municipalities of Copenhagen and Frederiksberg are supporting the event.

Aruban swimmer Jordy Groters commits to Missouri Tigers

The Missouri Tigers men’s breaststroke group is not only that programs best stroke group, it’s becoming one of the best-known men’s breaststroking groups in the country.

That trend looks to continue with the commitment today of Jordy Groters to the Missouri Tigers.

“Mizzou is an amazing place!” Groters said of his future school. “I love the facility and campus. I was very interested in them because of their phenomenal breaststroke success, 4 breaststrokers at NCAA’s alone is amazing. But what really got me was the team atmosphere. I loved the guys on the team and the coaches were awesome.They are very serious and yet at the same time they are very relaxed and it really shows. It was the perfect atmosphere I wanted to be in. I’m really looking forward to joining the amazing breaststroke program they have, and also adding to their sprint freestyle program.”

Groters, who lives in Florida, benefited from that state having such an early state meet. At this year’s 1A Championship, his stock skyrocketed when he won 1A state titles in both the 50 free and 100 breaststroke.

Groters, who swims for University High School, swam a 54.76 in the 100 yard breaststroke and a 20.69 in the 50 yard freestyle (he was as fast as 20.46 in prelims). He also split a 44.3 in the 100 yard free on an anchor for his team’s 3rd-place 400 free relay. His best 200 breaststroke is a 2:04.7 from a mid-season meet in October of 2012, but expect him to be closer to the two-minute mark if he takes a good crack at it the rest of this season.

Given that when recruiting season opened this year, he had much more modest, mid-major type best times of 21.4 and 56.9 in those two events, that state meet was especially significant for him.

Groters, as he mentioned, will join an extremely deep breaststroke group that sent four to last year’s NCAA Championships, and three of them were underclassmen. As a freshman, it’s unlikely that he’ll be able to wrench away medley relay breaststroke spots from Sam Tierney and Igor Kozloskij (both who will be seniors when Groters is a freshman), but he has a very good shot at making an immediate relay impact in the 200 and 400 free relays.

Groters does his club training with the Davie Nadadores in south Florida.

Photo by: Jordy Groters   Story Courtesy :SwimSwam.com

Aruba wins TK5 Cup in Curaçao under guidance of coach Clifford Rasmijn of Brazil Taekwondo Stichting.

Curacao: Last friday the Tk5 Championships took place at International University of Curacao.

The Gymnasium was packed with fans routing for team Curacao who faced Puerto Rico and Aruba.

The Aruban  athletes who formed the Aruba team were: Jonathan Baez of Noord Taekwondo Center, Cleff Dede of San Nicolas Taekwondo Center and Rasheed Lowe, Justin Arrindell & Hakeem Lowe of Brazil Taekwondo Stichting. 

Aruba fought its first match against Puerto Rico and came out victorious. Next Aruba faced Curacao in the finals. In the first round the score was 20-11 for Aruba. In the second round of 5 minutes everything changed for team Aruba. Justin Arrindell with his long legs started to raise the score for Aruba. Aruba finished the round with a score of 47-17 defeating the Curacao TK5 team for the second consecutive year. 

Congratulations to all the athletes. This team will now continue to prepare to participate in the TK5 that will take place in February 2014 in Suriname. Aruba must also choose another athlete to replace Hakeem Lowe who will turn 12 in the month of November.

Marine Corps Marathon 2013: Lars Stolk finishes in 3:27:41

Washington: On Sunday 27th of October 2013 a group of Marine and Army Veterans parachuted from a fixed wing aircraft carrying American flags while the American National Anthem was being sung to start the 2013 Marine Corps Marathon.

The Marine Corps Marathon nicknamed "The Marathon of Monuments" offered climbs & declines as well as flat surface throughout the 26.2 miles. Representing Aruba and the Dutch Marine Corps was Lars Stolk. Lars finished the marathon in 3:27:41 coming 1250th place of the 23.513 participants. We would say that is a pretty good come back from his recent shoulder injury.

Lars commented:"Been there done that....3:27:41..Tried to get under 3:25 but too bad... It was a tough hilly marathon...My knee and my shoulder both hurt right know, but I made it!

With just one training the last three months...being in a stress period cause of the cancer of mom, my bike accident, I am so happy with my time!!! Thank you Aruba and Holland for your support again!!!! In 2 months I am bringing the medal home to Mom!!!!"

Duck Blabber wishes Lars the best of luck with his training and future races.

Jordy Groters, Patrick Groters & Daniella van den Berg shined at the Suns High School Swimming and Diving Invitational in Florida

Jordy Groters may have been a little jet lagged but showed no signs of letting up Saturday at the Suns High School Swimming and Diving Invitational at Nova Southeastern Aquatic Complex.

Groters, 16, a senior at University School, returned from Peru Thursday night after competing in the five-day South America Youth Games where he won a silver medal and two bronze medals in the 50, 100 and 200 meter breaststroke events for Aruba.

Groters shook off fatigue to win two individual events including the 100-yard butterfly in a lifetime-best. He was also a member of two winning relays to lead the defending champion Suns team to the boys’ and combined team titles.

“This morning when I woke up I was feeling a little ill, I was very tired from the meet and before that I had junior world championships,” Groters said. “In warm-up I felt really bad but I knew I had the weekend to rest so I just gave it my all today.

“I still wanted to try and get good times in as well,” Groters said. “I did not expect to go a best time in my butterfly at all. I was very happy about that, it is the highlight of my meet. I am very pumped and happy to be swimming fast again.”

Groters won the 200-yard individual medley in 1:55.19, nearly nine seconds ahead of Matheus Borgas of Sagemont (2:04.67) and younger brother Patrick Groters, an eighth grader at University School (2:09.27). The two brothers competed side-by side.

“The last time I swam against him was when I was 9 years old,” Groters said with a laugh. “And he beat me in the 50 back in Aruba. I wasn’t going to let him beat me this time.”

Groters won the 100-yard butterfly in a best time 51.98, bettering his previous time of 53.15. It is the fastest time in the county this season.

The Suns won the 200-yard medley relay (1:41.03) with Marco Hosfeld, Jordy Groters, Daniel Pereira and Mathew Lyn and 200-yard freestyle relay (1:29.75) with Lyn, Nicolas Oberndorfer, Patrick Groters and Jordy Groters.

“Everybody has improved and gotten better from last year,” Groters said. “With these times I am pretty sure we can medal at states in the relays and individually. It’s a great team and I love that I am a part of it.”

Groters, a 2016 Olympic hopeful for Aruba, said he would like to be the first swimmer from his country to qualify. No swimmer has earned a spot other than a wild card. “It would be a big honor,” he said. “I am close to the “B” cuts and in three years I think I can do it.”

Groters is being recruited by Louisville, South Carolina, Utah and Florida State.

Sagemont’s Daniella van der Berg, also coming off the South American Youth Games for Aruba where she took a bronze in the 800-meter freestyle, won the 200-yard freestyle in 1:58.16. Sagemont teammate Nilza Costa won the 100-yard butterfly in 1:03.03.

Jourde Klaber wins Bronze medal in Orlando.

Jourdé Klabér of Brazil Taekwondo Stichting wins Bronze medal in Orlando at the  "Daedo-Truescore 3rd International Open"

Last Saturday in Orlando took place the  "Daedo-Truescore 3rd International Open" and Jourdé Klabér of Brazil Taekwondo Stichting who participated in the Daedo- Truescore 3rd International Open in Orlando fought for his Bronze medal. The week before at the Panamerican Cadet Open in Mexico Jourdé Klabér won a Bronze medal and at the Pan American Open Jourdé Klabér won a Silver medal. It looks like Jourdé Klabér is stuck between Silver and Bronze aU result that might be good for many, but for his coached Albert Klaber & Clifford Rasmijn there is room for improvement.Clifford Rasmijn already started with harder trainings to bring the Gold medal for Aruba.Jourde Klaber was winning 8-7 against Rodrigo Alejandro Escobar Hernandes of Guatemala came to lose the Quarter Final 11-8, Rodrigo Alejandro Escobar Hernandez defeated CT Jean of USA.

The next international championship on the program in the Panama Open and the participation to the championship is being evaluated, seeing that this is going to be the last championship of stature for this year.