The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

After opening up in the 400 metre freestyle at the 18th FINA World Championships in Gwangju, Korea, on Sunday, Joanna Evans returned to competition yesterday in the 200m freestyle.

Inside the Nambu University Municipal Aquatics Center, the Grand Bahamian native touched the wall in two minutes and 02.76 seconds for eighth place in the fifth of seven heats and she ended up 31st overall.

Evans, now in her senior year at the University of Texas at Austin, had splits of 27.87 in the first 50m; 30.18 in her second 50m for 58.05 at the 100m and 32.41 in her third 50m for 1:30.46 at the 150m. She completed the final 50m in 32.30.

Sweden's Sarah Sjoestoem clocked 1:55.14 to win the heat and posted the fastest qualifying time for the 16 competitors who moved onto the semi-final.

On day one of the meet on Sunday, 21-year-old Evans got seventh in heat five of the women's 400m freestyle in a time of 4:11.06. That placed her 16th overall.

Evans did splits of 28.70 in the first 50m, 30.73 in the second 50m for 59.43 at 100m, 31.52 in the third 50m for 1:30.95 at 150m, 31.42 in the fourth 50m for 2:02.37 for 200m, 31.63 at the fifth 50m for 2:34.00 at 250m, 32.13 at the sixth 50m for 3:06.13 at 300m, 32.77 at the seventh 50m for 3:38.90 at 350m and 32.16 in the final 50m.

American Katie Ledecky won the heat in 4:01.84 for the fastest qualifying time, but had to settle for the silver in 3:59.97 behind Australia's Ariarne Titmus in 3:58.76.

Also in action from the Bahamas yesterday was Izaak Bastian, who was 49th overall in the men's 50m breaststroke in 28.98. Bastian was eighth in the fourth of eight heats.

Martin Allikvee of Estonia won the heat in 27.79, however, the time placed him 29th overall. The top qualifier was Adam Peaty of Great Britain in 26.28. He also took the fastest semi-final time of 26.11 into the final today.

Bastian, now at Florida State University, also contested the 100m breaststroke on Monday. In that race, Bastian finished 58th overall and eighth again in the fourth of nine heats in 1:03.60 with splits of 29.64 in the first 50m and 33.96 for the second.

Uruguayan Martin Melconian won the heat in 1:02.21 for 47th overall.

Peaty had the fastest qualifying time of 57.59. Peaty also topped the chart in the semi-final in 56.88 and won the gold in the final in 57.14.

Also on Monday, Margaret Albury Higgs competed in the women's 100m breaststroke where she was sixth in the third of six heats in 1:10.65 for 35th overall.

Higgs, heading into her senior year at the University of South Carolina, did splits of 32.96 for the first 50m and 37.69 in the second 50m.

Maria Romanjuk of Estonia won the heat in 1:08.95, but that was only good for 26th place. American Lilly King posted the fastest qualifying time of 1:06.31.

King eventually won the gold in 1:04.93.

Higgs will be back in action on Thursday in the heats of the women's 200m breaststroke where she is entered in the second of four heats. The final is set for Friday.

The other member of Team Bahamas is Jared Fitzgerald. The 21-year-old Tampa Bay Spartans junior will see action today in lane one in the seventh of 13 heats in the men's 100m freestyle.

If he advances, the semi-final will also be held today with the final on Thursday. Then on Friday, Fitzgerald will swim in the heats of the men's 50m freestyle in heat seven.

The team is being coached by Roric Fink, an assistant coach of the women's swimming and diving programme at the University of Texas at Austin.