The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

ENGLAND and the Republic of South Africa finished with eight gold medals each to top the charts as swimming came to a close in the 6th Commonwealth Youth Games at the Betty Kelly Kenning Swim Complex on Saturday night.

England ended up with a total of 21 medals as they added nine silver and four bronze to their gold rush while South Africa had three silver and four bronze for their total of 15.

New Zealand (20 medals) and Singapore (17 medals) both tied with seven gold for the next two spots. Scotland rounded out the top five with three gold, two silver and three bronze for their total of eight.

Host Bahamas, in its best showing ever at the games, was ninth with three medals, including a silver and bronze from Izaak Bastian in the men's 50m (28.77) and 100m (1:03.71) breaststrokes respectively and a silver from Lilly Higgs, who also lowered her national record in the women's 50m breast in 32.52 for her silver.

"We really stepped up. We knew it was going to be a different ball game coming in and I think it was really good to see our kids swim against strong teams like Australia, New Zealand, Britain and be able to go one-on-one with them," said head coach Andy Knowles, who was assisted by Travano McPhee.

"We had swimmers in the final every night, which was real positive. We had three medals and we had three swimmers in one night in the finals. This was a really good opportunity to be exposed and to compete at the next level. So I feel very well about how the team performed."

Victoria Russell, who anchored the Bahamas' mixed 400m freestyle relay of Peter Morley, Bastian and Higgs that brought the curtains down on the swim competition, summed up the experience for Team Bahamas.

"At first, I was a little nervous because a lot of the swimmers are much bigger and faster than we are," she reflected. "But we did our best. Everyone did very well, considering that this was the last day and we were all tired. We did what we could. We are all very proud of ourselves."

Russell, home from Plymouth boarding school in England, said the games was very nice and she got to meet a lot of new friends, but the biggest thrill for most of her teammates was the pin trading. "I'm also very proud that we got two medals and I got a chance to swim with them," she said. "I'm very close with both of them, so I am happy that they did so very well."

Russell, who also made it to the final of the women's 100m breast where she was eighth in 1:14.82 when she swum with Higgs (just shy of her second medal with her fourth place in 1:11.14), will be celebrating her 17th birthday on Wednesday.

In the exciting grand finale where teams had to strategise with their mixture of boys and girls, the Bahamas was eighth in 4:10.36. Singapore held the bragging rights as the final gold medallists in 3:56.74 with New Zealand picking up the silver in 3:57.21 and England capturing the gold in 3:59.33.

On the other hand, England's head coach Fred Furniss said they had a fantastic time in the Bahamas.

"We thought we would do very well, but we didn't think that we would have gotten 21 medals, so we're pleased with that," he said. "Everyone stepped up, coming on the back of our European Junior Championships a few weeks ago.

"On top of the 21 medals, we got 18 best times as well, so we're really, really pleased with the performances turned in here."

Furniss thanked all of the organisers for putting on what he called an A-plus event. He also commended the Bahamian people on their hospitality shown everywhere they went from the Lynden Pindling International Airport to the Games Village at Breezes SuperClub and the facilities. "Fantastic job Bahamas," he said. "These were very good games. Teams like South Africa and New Zealand swum their European Jr Championship teams and so the competition was very good. Those have been some great games, fantastic games."