It’s day four of the Games of the 31st Olympiad in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and The Bahamas already has a top three finish.

The country was voted as the number two best dressed nation at the opening ceremony by Fox Sports. According to an online article by Brent Lindeque, The Bahamas’ sky blue color, in the uniforms, that shone brightly on Friday night served as reminder of the crystal clear waters that the tiny archipelago has become known for.

Traditionally, the country has gone with the sky blue Bahamas Olympic Committee (BOC) jackets during the opening ceremonies of past Olympic Games.

This year, as recommended by team sponsor Puma, officials mixed it up.

For the most part, the men of Team Bahamas went with option three in the Puma pamphlet – the Ceremony Bomber sky blue jacket with the Ceremony Top yellow shirt underneath, and a black Ceremony pants. They also wore the black and white IGNITE Dual Puma tennis shoes.

The ladies of Team Bahamas were primarily decked out with option one of the pamphlet – a black Ceremony Jacket Wn’s with a yellow Ceremony Top Wn’s underneath and a blue Ceremony pants.

They went with the white and gold IGNITE Dual Wn’s Puma shoes.

Led by flag bearer Shaunae Miller, 23 of The Bahamas’ 29-member team walked into the Maracanã Stadium on Friday night.

It was like a breath of fresh air watching them parade during the opening of the quadrennial games in something other than the blue BOC jackets that the team has become known for.

The Puma wear was well received by everyone – athletes, coaches and team officials.

In another break from tradition, the athletes preceded the team officials into the stadium. After all, the Olympic experience is all about them.

The online article stated: “You’ve got to love a uniform that evokes thoughts of the waters that make the archipelago the envy of the world. The Bahamas has done just that - a simple tracksuit in a blue hue, they’re not messing around. They’re here for business, but also here to remind you that you don’t swim in waters that blue… ever.”

The South Africans, in their retro tracksuits, were voted as the best dressed, The Bahamas was second, and Mongolia in their canary yellow, finished third. Hungary was fourth and Tonga came in fifth.

On the other side of the totem pole, Russia was voted as the worst dressed, followed by the United States, Norway, Germany and Poland, in that order.

The march pass of athletes was lengthy, but was one in which spectators in the stadium, and undoubtedly across the globe, watched with tremendous glee as they waited patiently for their respective nations to pass.

It was actually one of the highlights of the opening ceremony.

Sheldon Longley, Guardian Sports Editor

Click here to read more at The Nassau Guardian