By BRENT STUBBS

Chief Sports Editor

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

RECORD breakers Nigel Forbes, Harold Simmons, Emmanuel Gadson, Marvin Johnson, Siann Isaacs and Sean Longley took some of the spotlight on day one of the Bahamas Aquatics’ 52nd Bahamas National Swimming Championships.

However, the spectators in the Betty Kelly Kenning Swim Complex got a treat from some of the visiting international swimmers as they took their share of the limelight in yesterday’s evening session.

The meet, which has attracted around 90 international swimmers, is serving as the final qualifier for the 2024 Summer Olympic Games in Paris, France, as the qualification process closes on the final day of competition on Sunday. 

Forbes, a member of the Alpha Aquatics Club, opened up his participation in the meet with a victory in the boys’ 18-and-over 50m backstroke in 26.22, ahead of Mako’s Davante Carey, who got second in 27.32 with Luke Thompson of Alpha third in 28.62.

But Forbes saved his best for the final individual event of the night when he won the 100m butterfly in 53.99 to erase Olympian Jeremy Knowles’ national record of 54.00 that he established back in 2008. 

“It was really good. I wanted to hit that 53-seconds so bad,” he said. “After I messed up in the 50m back, I knew I had to come back and redeem myself. Thank God I got the race out my head and refocused on this one.”

Joshua Murray of the Black Marlins was second in 57.85 and Jake Thompson of Alpha Aquatics got third in 59.04. 

Yulia Efimova, the 32-year-old Russian attempting to qualify for her fifth Olympics, said while she fell short of the standard in the women’s 200m breaststroke, she’s confident that she can attain the standards in the 50 and 200m breaststrokes.

“I’m just happy to have this opportunity because this is the last chance. I just got here from Russia yesterday,” said Efimova, who is coming back after a two-year hiatus. 

“I didn’t do well in my first race, but I’m looking forward to the rest of the meet in the 50 and 100m breaststroke. I am going to try and qualify there.” Jorge Murillo Waldes of Colombia was the winner of the 15-and-over 200m breaststroke, but like Efimova, his performance didn’t count in the medal count. But he said he was just delighted to be back in the Bahamas attempting to make the Olympic cut another time.

“I’m really happy to represent my country here. The first time I was here was in 2012 when I was looking to make the qualification for the London Olympics,” he said. “Now 2024, I’m looking for my cut for Paris.

“I’m really excited. I know this is a new pool. It feels really good, the water is good and the people here are so friendly, so I’m hoping that I can make the cut here, hopefully in the 100m breast. This event was to wake up my body for the competition here.”

Caden Wells of Mako was the declared winner of the event in 2:27.00

“I wanted to try something new, I didn’t go out as slow as I usually do,” he said. “Now I know it’s not the approach for the race for me, but overall 

I felt pretty good about the race. “There were lot of competitors and they pushed me. I really wanted a better time, but I’m satisfied with what I did.”

Marvin Johnon, competing in the boys 15-17 100m butterfly, touched the wall in 56.30 to lower his own Bahamas record of 56.69 that he set in 2023. His team-mates Asher Johnson and Ayrton Moncur were second and third in 58.28 and 58.62 respectively for the sweep.

Harold Simmons, also from Mako, won the boys 11-12 50m backstroke in 30.56 to replace Davante Carey’s national record of 30.75b that he set in 2015. 

It was another Mako sweep as Sean Norville-Smith was second in 32.94 and Kai Bastian got third in 33.86.

Emmanuel Gadson of the Barracuda’s clocked 2:16,54bin the boys 18-andpover 200m breaststroke to replace the open record of 2:24.09 that Sam Williamson set in 2023. Mark-Anthony Thompson lowered his Bahamas record of 2:31.26 from 2022 to 2:29.39 for second.

During the morning session to get the meet started, two long distances records were also set.

Sean Longley won the boys 18-and-over 800m freestyle in 9.31.18 to improve on his national record of 9:31.10. His Barracuda’s team-mate Msanan Bosland was second in 10:33.88 and Latrell Brooks of the Blue Waves was third in 10:37.88.

Siann Isaacs of Alpha got the other national record in the girls 13-14 1,500m freestyle in 19:39.68. Lelah Lewis of the Barracuda’s was second in 19:58.00 and DF McKenzie of Mako was third in 20:13.98.

At the end of the night with the 4 x 200m relays added, Mako Aquatic surged out front in defense of their title with 629 points. The Barracuda was second with 369 and Alpha Aquatics was third with 283. The Blue Waves were fourth with 244 and the Black Marlins rounded out the top five with 140. 

The meet will continue with day two today at 9 am when the third session get underway. The fourth session will follow at 6 pm. The meet will continue with the same times on Saturday and Sunday.