JEREMY KNOWLES BREAKS BAHAMIAN NATIONAL 200 IM RECORD

March 20^, 2006

The Men’s 50 M Freestyle heats was the first event of this morning’s session. Jamaica’s Brad Hamilton had a chance of moving into the semi-finals, if he was able if he was able to drop .75 seconds off his personal best time. Reacting in .65 seconds, Hamilton had yet another great start but in the first 25 M he seemed to struggle, with the field slowly moving away. The last 20 M was a different race as he seemed to change gear, but it was too late. Closing on the swimmers in the adjacent lanes, a disappointed Hamilton touched seventh in 24.57, 23^rd overall.

Onan Thom (Guyana) was the fastest of the Caribbean swimmers, timing 24.31 to tie for 19^th place. Bermuda’s Ronald Cowen finished just behind Hamilton in 24^th place with a time of 24.58 while Chris Vythoulkas (Bahamas) next in 25^th place (24.84). Commonwealth Games Record holder Ronald Schoeman (South Africa) haS the fastest time going into tonight’s semi-finals with a time of 22.47.

Australia’s Joanna Fargus, supported by 8000 very noisy Australian fans, looked strong swimming 2:10.84 for the fastest time in the Women’s 200 M Backstroke heats. Fargus was just .26 seconds off Sarah Price’s (England) Commonwealth Games Record set in Manchester.

With just nine entries in the Men’s 1500 M Freestyle, the swimmers jockeyed more for lane positions in the final rather than racing, as only one would be eliminated. David Davies (Wales) touched first in 15:21.60, 40 seconds off Kierin Perkins record time of 14:41.66 set in 1994.Hercules Prinsloo (South Africa) is second timing 15:34.58 and Travis Nederpelt (Australia) third in 15:36.40.

The Caribbean had two good swims in the Men’s 200 M Individual Medley heats. Bradley Ally (Barbados), who has indicated that this may be his last meet, swam 2:02.67 to finish second behind New Zealand’s Dean Kent (2:02.65). Jeremy Knowles broke the Bahamian National Record swimming 2:03.16 to move into the final in 5^th place.

England’s Joanne Jackson timed 4:11.77 for the fastest time in the Women’s 400 M Freestyle heats.