The swimming portion of the 2017 Commonwealth Youth Games (CYG) began yesterday at the Betty Kelly-Kenning National Aquatics Centre, and just one Bahamian made a final.
A total of 20 athletes will represent the country in various swimming events over the course of the weekend -- eight of them competed on opening day -- and only Lilly Higgs qualified to compete in a final.
Higgs finished sixth overall in the girls 200 meters (m) breaststroke in 2:36.43. Eleanor Black, from England, won the gold in 2:31, Rae Rasmussen, from Australia, took the silver in 2:31.49, and Hanim Abrahams, from South Africa, was third in 2:32.32.
Higgs finished fourth in her morning heat in 2:37.37. Bahamian Katherine Slatter also competed in that heat and finished fifth in 3:00.59.
Brianna Nesbitt was able to win her 200m free heat in 2:20, but the time wasn't fast enough to qualify her for the final. Zoe McCarroll also competed in the girls 200m freestyle. She finished eighth in heat four in 2:18.56.
Izaak Bastian finished third in heat three of the boys 50m butterfly in 26.11 seconds. Devante Carey also competed in the boys 50 butterfly. He finished sixth in heat four in 26.24 seconds. Victoria Russell was the sole female representative in the girls 50m butterfly. She finished third in her heat in 28.93 seconds and was an alternate for the final.
Bastian was an alternate for the final in the boys 200m breaststroke. He finished fourth in his heat in 2.22.91. William Russell also competed in that heat and finished sixth in 2:28.32.
"We had a lot of the kids swim best times, so I think that was good. We told them coming into the competition that this was a higher level than the competition at CARIFTA," said Team Bahamas Head Coach Andy Knowles. "You can't really hold back at all in the morning, because there is no guarantee that you will make it to the evening swim. I think it was just an adjustment period. I think that this is the next level that the kids need to aim for. We have dominated CARIFTA for the last few years now, so we have to get them used to racing kids who are really fast.
"Today wasn't our strongest day, but I think we will be stronger on day two, especially in the 50 breast. Our goal will be to get as much swimmers as possible to advance to the second swim. We had one today and had like four or five come really close, so if we can get a couple in that we will be really good."
The swimming action continues today at the Betty Kelly-Kenning National Aquatics Centre, beginning at 10 a.m.
In tennis yesterday, Bahamian Donte Armbrister won his opening match in boys singles, 6-3 and 6-1, over Graham Mani Jr., of the Solomon Islands; and William Holowesko finished seventh in the boys timed trial in cycling in 12:26. Matthew Oliveira, of Bermuda, won the gold, finishing in 12:06, Dylan Hughes of Scotland was second, finishing in 12:18, and Sebastian Berwick of Australia won the bronze, finishing in 12:21.

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