Eighth in the world!

The 15th edition of the FINA (International Swimming Federation) World Short Course Swimming Championships (25 meters) is off to a flying start for Team Bahamas, on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Already, there has been two short course national records set, and Joanna Evans made history, becoming the second Bahamian to advance to a final at the short course worlds.

Evans, 24, finished eighth in the final of the women’s 200 meters (m) free, touching the wall at the iconic Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi in 1:54.93 after swimming 1:54.51 in the heats – her second and third fastest times in that event after swimming a new national record of 1:54.36 during the International Swimming League (ISL) Playoffs in Eindhoven, Netherlands, at the end of November.

Siobhan Haughey, of Hong Kong, won the gold medal in a new world record of 1:50.31. Rebecca Smith, of Canada, was second in 1:52.24, and American Paige Madden secured the bronze in 1:53.01.

Evans qualified for the final with the fifth-fastest time out of the heats. As mentioned, she is the second Bahamian to qualify for a final at the short course worlds following in the footsteps of Arianna Vanderpool-Wallace who first accomplished the feat in Dubai, UAE, in 2010, and took it a step further by winning the bronze.

Evans is expected to swim in the 400m freestyle heats on Sunday. She has a personal best national record time of 4:00.14 in that event.

This is her second time competing at the short course worlds. Her first time competing at this meet was back at the 14th edition when it was held in Doha, Qatar. She swam the 400 and 800m free races as a 17-year-old that year and placed 24th overall in the 800m in 8:38.07 and 31st overall in the 400m free with a time of 4:13.83.

Also in the pool for The Bahamas on Thursday were Lilly Higgs in the heats of the women’s 50m breaststroke and Izaak Bastian in the heats of the men’s 100m breaststroke.

Higgs, 21, was third in her heat and finished 28th overall in a new national record of 31.38 seconds, erasing the old national record of 32.27 seconds, set by Victoria Russell, by almost a full second.

Higgs is expected to be back in the pool on Sunday, swimming in the heats of the women’s 100m breast.

In the men’s 100m breast on Thursday, Bastian was fourth in his heat and finished 30th overall in a new national record time of 59.61 seconds, becoming the first Bahamian to go under a minute in that event.

Bastian, 20, is expected to be back in the pool on Monday, swimming in the heats of the men’s 50m breast.

Rounding out the team of swimmers from The Bahamas is rising star Lamar Taylor. The 18-year-old is expected to be in the pool swimming the 50 and 100m freestyle heats on Saturday and Monday respectively.

The quartet is expected to swim in the mixed relays portion of the meet as well. They will swim in the 4x50m free and 4x50m medley mixed relays. The 4x50m free is set for Friday and the medley relay will be held on Saturday.

The Head Coach of the four-member team is Andy Loveitt. The team manager and federation representative is Georgette Albury and Cordero Bonamy is the physical therapist. Rounding out the delegation as a federation representative is Gena Culmer-Taylor.

It was reported to be a great first session for the four-member team with three top 30 finishes, two national records and a historic eighth place finish in the women’s 200m free from Evans. It is something for the team to build on for the remainder of the six-day meet which wraps up on Tuesday.

The meet features the best swimmers in the world in competition in short course meters. 

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