Swimming In Paradise: “Our Best Days Are Yet to Come in Olympic Swimming”

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NASSAU, BAHAMAS – She holds the distinction of a three-time Olympian. 

Arianna Vanderpool-Wallace represented The Bahamas in the 2008, 2012 and 2016 Olympics.

Her national records in the 50m and 100m free, and the 50m, 100m and 200m butterfly are still standing today. 

When we raised this question of the declining Olympic qualifiers, Vanderpool-Wallace was surprisingly optimic in the future – despite the low numbers. 

But she did share how equipment costs are likely prohibiting factors. 

For instance, the tech suits that swimmers must wear. Prices start at $50 but can go as high as $2,000. 

“Those tech suits, you can probably wear them three or four times before you need a new one so it’s not like you get one and own it forever and that’s it,” she said.

“They are really only meant to last awhile I would say before you’re looking at buying another one.”

A surprising revelation – if you’re not a competitive swimmer. 

While recreational swimsuits get repeated use, for competitive swimmers the lifespan of a swimsuit is very short. 

With only two swimmers qualifying for the Paris Summer Olympics- the only Bahamian to even come close to medaling – believes our best swimming performances have yet to been seen and here’s why. 

“There’s multiple facets of this but I’m really excited to see how the future develops,” Arianna said.

“I think the biggest boost is a lot more Bahamians continue in the sport past 18 and the creation if you will or addition of social media and coaches having access to that the information of what’s going on in The Bahamas.”

She especially sees a bright future in our most recent Olympic swimmers  Lamar Taylor and Rhanishka Gibbs. 

“Both Lamar and Rhanishka are both I think really in the beginning stages of their international careers,” Arianna said.

“Obviously, they’ve been to other international meets. This was both of their first Olympic Games and looking back at like my first Olympic Games to four years later, I was in the final. I believe both of them are very capable of doing that. I know Lamar was a little bit off of his best time I believe but I don’t think that people realize how big of a deal going to the Olympics is and what that means for your energy level.”

As swimming clubs around the country grow, this three-time Olympian predicts there will be more Olympic-ready Bahamian swimmers.