By BRENT STUBBS 

Chief Sports Editor 

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

PARIS, France — A heat victory in a national record-breaking performance from Lamar Tayor and a sixth place for Rhanishka Gibbs were posted for the Bahamas two swimmers at the 2024 Olympic Games.

In both of their Olympic debuts at the Paris La Defense Arena, Taylor won the fifth of 10 heats in a national record time of 48.84 seconds to finish 26th overall, while Gibbs swam 26.27 seconds for sixth place in the seventh of 10 heats and 31st overall.

Taylor was denied an opportunity to come back for a second swim, but he said he trained hard for his only race and his Olympic moment. “I felt very confident going into the event,” said Taylor, who turned in a personal best at the end of the race. “I just had to execute and I think I did pretty good.”

Having swum at the World Championships last year, Taylor admitted that it helped prepare him for the road that was ahead of him here in Paris.

“I was pretty much racing the same guys over and over again, so it wasn’t hard,” he said. “I was just trying to execute and not feel afraid to race.”

To his fans at home, Taylor expressed his delight in the support they provided for him. He noted that the support was something that he cherished.

The 18-year-old Gibbs, who fell shy of her personal best, admitted that for her first Olympic experience, she was thrilled just to make it to the Olympics.

“I’m going to keep training, just working hard in practice and putting some things in place that I could have improved on in that race and just staying focused on my goal in 2028 (for the next Olympics in Los Angeles, California).”

Looking back at her performance, Gibbs noted that the first 25 metres of her race felt really good and the second 25m she started to falter.

“That’s something that comes with practice, something I’m going to continue to work on,” she insisted. “It will get better in time.”

Now that she’s done, the Texas Christian University sophomore said she will continue to soak in the atmosphere in the Games Village, being around so many high-class athletes.

To the other young swimmers at home in the Bahamas who were following her journey, she encouraged them to “keep pushing and try to be better than me.

“You guys encourage me to be a better swimmer and a better individual” and “I’m definitely looking forward to the next Olympics” in Los Angeles in 2028.

The duo were coached by Travano McPhee, who noted that he was proud to be a Bahamian watching the swimmers represent the country to the best of their abilities.

“To witness them both develop from a junior age to now advancing in their swim careers and to be able to represent the Bahamas at the highest competitive level of sports was a magnificent feeling.”

McPhee said he could envision seeing them, along with a few more Bahamian swimmers, competing in Los Angeles as swimming continues to rise on the global stage.