By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

While Zac Reid capped off day one of the swimming competition in the sixth Commonwealth Youth Games with New Zealand’s third gold medal, Lilly Higgs was the lone Bahamian to make it to a final.

Last night in a short programme of nine events at the Betty Kelly Kenning Swim Complex, Reid’s triumph in the men’s gruelling 1,500 metres pushed New Zealand on top of the medal chart with three gold, a silver and two bronze.

The Republic of South Africa is sitting in second with two gold, two silver and bronze, while Singapore rounded out the top three with two gold and a silver.

Reid, joined by Laticia-Leig Transon and Lewis Clareburt in the women’s and men’s 200m free respectively on top of the podium, posted a personal best of 15 minutes and 40.11 seconds to win his 30-lap race. Australia’s Max Gibson got second in 15:50.64 and Botswana’s James Freeman was third in 15:53.73.

“It was hard. In New Zealand, we’re not used to this heat and, in such a gruelling race, it’s just so hard to do it,” Reid said. “I am so happy. I was able to do what I wanted to do. It was my best time ever, my best time in this heat. I had gone faster than I did in our pool back in New Zealand, so I’m just so happy.”

Reid, who also has the 400m free and relay duties to perform for New Zealand before the meet is over on Sunday, said he’s looking forward to really enjoying the beauty of the island by taking a little vacation here with his mother and a few family members next week.

He’s not sure of the plans of the rest of his teammates, but he will celebrate with Transon, who won the women’s 200m free in 2:01.56 over Scotland’s Sophie Smith, who got second in 2:02.32 and South Africa’s Rebecca Meder, third in 2:02.56.

Also taking part in the celebrations are Clareburt with his victory in the men’s 200m free in 1:49.89 with South Africa’s Jarryd Baxter second in 1:50.50 and Nigeria’s Jack McMillian third in 1:50.72.

Higgs, carrying the flag for the Bahamas in the women’s 200m breaststroke, picked up a sixth place finish in her personal best of 2:36.43. England’s Layla Black won the race in 2:31.00 with New Zealand’s Mya Rasmussen second in 2:31.49 and South Africa’s Hanim Abrahams third in 2:32.32.

“I think it was a pretty good swim for me. I dropped about a second and-a-half off my best time,” Higgs said. “It was a pretty good swim for me and to be able to represent the Bahamas in the final was an honour.

“There was a little bit of pressure, but I knew that my teammates were behind me and I heard them cheering, so I went out there and I did my best.”

Higgs, a 16-year-old Hough High School in Charlotte, North Carolina, said it was really cool to host such a prestigious meet at home with some many countries from around the world competing.

While Higgs was the only Bahamian to make it to the final, four others waited to see if they would get in as alternates in their respective events.

Among them were Victoria Russell, who was tenth in the women’s 50m butterfly in 28.93; Peter Morley, 10th in the men’s 100m backstroke in 1:00.40; Katherine Slatter, ninth in the women’s 200m breaststroke in 3:00.59 and Izaak Bastian, ninth in the men’s 200m breaststroke in 2:22.91.

Team Bahamas’ head coach Andy Knowles said the performances by the team were mediocre, but it was expected because it’s a totally different level than Carifta.

“We are facing kids who are a lot more ranked in the world,” he said. “Our goal was to get as many people back for a second swim. We had one, which was Lilly Higgs with her best time. We had about 50 percent best swims this morning, which was good.”

Knowles, who has been around on various national teams, said this after achieving their success at Carifta, this is the next level to get their swimmers primed and ready to compete at the Olympic Games.

After the Commonwealth World Cup, Izaak Bastian, Tyler Russell and Lilly Higgs will get a chance to represent the Bahamas at the Junior World Championships in Indianapolis, Indiana, while Joanna Evans, Laura Morley, Laura Morley and Gershwin Greene will participate in the World University Games.