The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

GOLD COAST, Australia -- With no time to relax after carrying the flag for the Bahamas during the march pass in the opening ceremonies at the XXI Commonwealth Games on Wednesday night, Joanna Evans will be the first of two of the four-member swim team that will be in action on Thursday.

At the Optus Aquatic Centre, Evans will compete in the first of her three events in the heats of the women's 200 metre final just before N'Nhyn Fernander makes his splash in the pool in the preliminaries of the men's 50m butterfly.

"We've been to the aquatic centre for the last three days, so they are familiar with the pool. They like the facility. They like the outdoor pool," said Sarah Knowles, one of the two coaches on the team.

"They both have been responding very well in practice so they are looking forward to competing."

Based on what she's seen, Knowles said Evans has some fast times that should allow her to compete in one of the faster heats, increasing her chances of advancing to the finals.

As for Fernander, he has checked out the competition and Knowles said he acknowledged that he knows what the competition is going to be like.

The other two members of the team - Lilly Higgs and Izaak Bastian - are coming from Jamaica where they helped the Bahamas repeat as the CARIFTA swim champions. But because of their youthful ages, both 17, Knowles said this should turn out to be a learning experience for them.

"They leave Jamaica on the fourth and get here on April 6. Lilly swims the next day, so it's more mental than physical," Knowles pointed out.

"But she said she's ready. She's been doing very well at CARIFTA, winning gold and silver medals.

"Izaak doesn't swim until April 8, so he will probably have a little edge than Lilly, but they are both incredibly determined. They wanted to come, they wanted to do both, so we are going to expect the best for them."

On the plus side for the sport here, Knowles said when Evans was informed by Chef de Mission Roy Colebrooke that she would be the fag bearer for the Bahamas at the opening ceremonies on Wednesday, she was ecstatic to have been selected.

"That put up a big smile on her face," Knowles said. "That gives us some extra motivation, so she's really excited about that."

John Bradley, the team manager, said from what he saw in the practices, the two swimmers are ready to compete on day one of the competition at the games.

"They have seen the psych sheets so they know where they stand," he stated.

Knowles, however, admitted that there's going to be a lot of pressure as usual for competitors when they start competition.

But, at this stage, she said the swimmers strive towards it because this has a focus on a number of meets that they want to compete in this year and the Commonwealth Games is just the beginning of that journey.

After a day off on Thursday when the two CARIFTA standouts will arrive from Jamaica with coach Andy Loveitt, Higgs will open up here in the women's 200m breast on Friday.

And Bastian will open up in the 50m breast, while Higgs will be back for the 100m breast.

Evans will follow up in the 100m free and Fernander will contest the 100m fly.