LONDON, England - From observing the routine of Arianna Vanderpool-Wallace, no one would imagine that she is the lone competitor for The Bahamas in swimming at these 30th Olympic Games. No one would guess that she's carrying the banner by herself for her sport.
Back for her second trip to the Olympic Games, she's as calm and collected as ever, ready to compete and represent her country well. This young athlete is brimming with confidence and has an eye on the top prize. Part of the reason for that just might be the collective support that she has received from the track and field athletes here in London. Team Bahamas is 26 members strong - 25 from track and field, and just one swimmer, Arianna. Four years ago, when she
began her Olympic journey as a very talented 18-year-old, she was joined by Alana Dillette, Vereance Burrows and multi-national record holder Jeremy Knowles in the swimming segment of the games for The Bahamas. Back then, the former NCAA double sprint champion admitted that pomp and pageantry surrounding her first Olympic experience might just have been a little too much to bear. If she makes the final of either of her events here in London, it will be a first-time experience for The Bahamas.
"I think in 2008, I was kind of in awe with everything that was going around, but this time around, I'm definitely a lot calmer. I feel strong going in, and I'm just ready to race and swim as fast as I can," she said. "I'm the only swimmer here, but I know that a lot of the swimmers back home, and the entire Bahamas, are supporting me, so I feel good about that. Even here in London, the track and field athletes are really showing me a lot of support and encouraging me to do well. It's going to be a challenge, but I'm just focused on swimming as best as I can."
Vanderpool-Wallace will be the first to see action for The Bahamas as she will hit the pool on Wednesday August 1, in the heats of the women's 100-meter (m) Free. The final of that event is a day later, and the heats of the 50m Free get underway on Friday August 3, the same day the athletics portion of the Olympics begin.
Vanderpool-Wallace is a two-time National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Champion in the longer sprint. She won the 50-yard title in 2011, and settled for third in that event this past year. The shorter sprint is her stronger event, but on the collegiate level, she's certainly enjoyed more success in the longer sprint this year. Actually, Vanderpool-Wallace is the fastest swimmer to ever swim the women's 100-yard Free in the United States with her U.S. Open record of 46.61 seconds, which was done at the Southeastern Conference (SEC) Championships this year.
"I know that I have the ability to go out there and swim really fast. For me, I'm not trying to put any additional pressure on myself though. I just want to focus on what I need to do, and go out there and do it. Once I stick to my game plan, I feel that I will be successful," said Vanderpool-Wallace.
The Bahamas' fastest female swimmer ever will be coached by her collegiate coach Brett Hawke here in London. His assistant at Auburn University Lionel Moreau is here as well.
"I think it's really good to have my college coach here," said Vanderpool-Wallace. "He's been working with me all year, and he knows what I need to do to be successful here at the Olympics. I'm just going to trust his judgment, and swim as fast as I can."
No Bahamian swimmer has ever made an Olympic final in swimming, but there is little doubt that Vanderpool-Wallace is more than capable of doing so. She knows that the she will have to swim the races of her life to take it a step further and grace the medal podium. In all probability, it will probably take around 25 seconds flat just to make the final of the 50m Free, and probably a 24-mid to swim in the final eight of the women's 100m Free. Vanderpool-Wallace has national record times of 24.79 and 54.46 seconds in those events respectively, and made history for The Bahamas last year when she became the first Bahamian to swim in a final at the FINA World Championships. She finished seventh in the 50m Free at those championships in Shanghai, China, and was 10th overall in the women's 100m Free.
She will certainly be one to watch as the Olympics get underway for Team Bahamas.

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