The Bahamas Aquatics Federation has reportedly finalized its four-swimmer roster for the 2023 World Championships next month, three of whom competed in the NCAA last season.
Rising Henderson State (Division II) senior Lamar Taylor and rising Howard (Division I) junior Zaylie-Elizabeth Thompson return to the squad after representing the Bahamas at last summer’s World Championships in Budapest, Hungary. They’re joined by 17-year-old Rhanishka Gibbs and recent McKendree University (Division II) graduate DaVante Carey, who holds the Bahamian national record in the 100-meter backstroke with a 57.03 from April of 2021.
The team will be overseen by Texas native Scotty Serio, who coaches Taylor at Henderson State.
Taylor recently lowered the national record in the 50 back with a 25.52 at April’s Pro Swim Series stop in Westmont. The 19-year-old also owns the Bahamian standard in the 100 free (50.25), but he’s focusing on the 50 free, 50 fly, and 50 back next month in Fukuoka, Japan. Last year in Budapest, Taylor placed 48th (22.86) before clocking a personal-best 22.45 at the Commonwealth Games later that summer.
Thompson will take on the same two events from last year’s World Championships, the 100 free and 200 IM, where she placed 42nd (1:01.04) and 36th (2:30.15), respectively. Her best times in the 100 free and 200 IM are 59.73 and 2:28.48 from the 2019 and 2022 CARIFTA Championships, respectively. She was one of three Thompson siblings on Howard’s squad last season, and her brother Luke-Kennedy broke multiple Bahamian records (SCM 200 free and 400 free) at last year’s Short Course World Championships.
Carey wasn’t on last year’s Worlds roster, but he did go to the meet back in 2019. He’s aiming to lower his own 100 back national record (57.03) from 2021 after going as fast as 57.27 last year at the Commonwealth Games. He’s also contesting the 100 fly, where he owns a lifetime best of 55.54, but hasn’t been under 56 seconds since the 2019 World Championships.
Gibbs is the only member of the quartet who did not compete in the NCAA last season. She’s slated to graduate from Queen’s College in Nassau, Bahamas, later this month before contesting the 50 freestyle and 50 breaststroke at Worlds.
Bahamas’ Roster for 2023 World Championships
Men
- Lamar Taylor (50 freestyle, 50 butterfly, 50 backstroke)
- DaVante Carey (100 backstroke, 100 butterfly)
Women
- Rhanishka Gibbs (50 freestyle, 50 breaststroke)
- Zaylie-Elizabeth Thompson (100 freestyle, 200 IM)
The announcement comes just a week before the 2023 Bahamas National Championships, which are set to take place from June 15-18 at the Betty Kelly Kenning National Swim Complex. The event will serve as an early qualifier for the Paris 2024 Olympics next summer as well as the CARIFTA Championships next April.
