By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

A month ago, Joanna Evans watched as Arianna Vanderpool-Wallace was celebrated with her silver medal at the 20th Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland. In Nanjing, China, at the 2nd Youth Olympic Games, the spotlight was placed on Evans as she ascended the medal podium for her bronze medal.

Competing in the women’s 800 metres freestyle at the Nanjing OSC Natatorium, Evans touched the wall in second place in the last of the three slow heats in a Bahamian national record time of eight minutes and 39.75 seconds. The heat was won by Simona Quadarella of Italy in 8:35.39.

As it turned out, the heat was faster than the fastest heat in which the fastest competitors were in. Winning the heat was Jimena Perez Blanco of Spain in 8:36.95. But her time was second overall for the silver for Spain. That left Quadarella with the gold for Italy and Evans with the bronze for the Bahamas.

It turned out to be the first medal won by the Bahamas’ three-member team, coached by Andy Loveitt, at the Youth Olympic Games and comes on the heels of the historic silver medal in the women’s 50m butterfly for the Bahamas at the Commonwealth Games.

Evans, 17, erased her previous national record of 8:57.04 that she set as a member of the four-member team at the Commonwealth Games that was also coached by Loveitt.

In Nanjing, Evans led through the first 450m out of lane one before she was passed by Quadarella, who was next to her in lane two as they went through the remainder of the gruelling race.

Evans, posting the national record, turned in splits of 29.53 in the first 50m, 32.19 for 1:01.72 at 100m, 32.23 for 1:33.95 at 150m, 32.66 for 2:06.61 at 200m, 31.94 for 2:38.55 at 250m, 32.55 for 3:11.10 at 300m, 32.86 for 3:43.96 for 350m and 33.15 for 4:17.11 at 400m.

Holding her final lead, Evans did 32.91 for 4:50.02 at 450m. From there, she did 32.59 for 5:22.61 at 500m, 32.60 for 5:55.21 at 550m, 33.20 for 6:28.41 at 600m, 32.72 for 7:01.13 at 650m, 33.46 for 7:34.59 at 700m, 33.14 for 8:07.73 at 750m and 32.02 to finish in 8:39.75.

With a couple more days to rest and recuperate after her performance, Evans hopes to bounce back on Friday and complete her appearance at the games when she competes in the fourth of five heats in the 400m freestyle. Evans will be competing out of lane two with a seeded time of 4:17.29.

The swim team will have a day off today but, on Thursday, Dustin Tynes will be back to compete in the last of the five heats in lane two of the men’s 50m breaststroke. Also on Friday, Laura Morley will compete in the last of the three heats of the women’s 200m breaststroke in lane eight.

Sailing

At the Jinniu Lake Sailing Venue, Paul de Souza competed in the third and fourth races of the Byte CII - Men’s One Person Dinghy where he was 21st and 26th respectively. Today, he will be competing in fifth, sixth and seventh races. Race eight will be on Thursday, while the 9th and 120th races take place on Friday. The final race will be on Saturday.

Tennis

Already eliminated in both singles and doubles, Justin Roberts and Rasheed Carey had different results in the mixed doubles with their foreign partners. Roberts and Renata Zarazua Ruckstuhl of Mexico got eliminated 6-4, 6-2 by the Russian team of Karen Kghachanov and Anatasiya Komardina, but Carey and Simona Heinova of the Czech Republic prevailed with a 6-3, 6-2 win over Maria Herazo Gonzalez and Luis Valero Zamorano from Colombia. It’s not known who and when Carey and Heinova will play again as Heinova has a main draw singles today.

Athletics

As the final discipline to begin competition, the eight-member track and field team will start today at the Nanjing OSC Stadium. Serena Brown will be in the qualifying round of the women’s discus, Tavonte Mott in heat three of the men’s 110m hurdles, Shaquania Dorsett in heat two of the women’s 400m and Henri Delauze in heat two of the boys’ 400m.

On Thursday, Jenae Ambrose will run out of heat one of the women’s 100m and Tyler Bowe will be in heat four of the men’s 100m.

And on Friday, Dreshanae Rolle will run out of heat two of the women’s 400m hurdles.

If any or all of the athletes advance, their next rounds will be released after they compete.