Joanna Evans sets Bahamian record in 800 free at Pan American Games

This past week’s Pan American Games were an onslaught on various national record books, and one more national record to fall on the last night of action went to Bahamian teenager Joanna Evans.

Just 17, Evans reset her own Bahamian national record in the 800 free while taking 6th place overall. Evans went a lifetime-best 8:37.18, taking just over two seconds off the national record she last set at the Central American & Caribbean Games last November. That record was 8:39.61.

Evans is one of the brightest young stars for the Bahamas, holding national records in the 200, 400 and 800 frees. She was a bronze medalist at the Youth Olympic Games last summer in the 800 free and just missed medaling in the 400 as well.

Evans is also verbally committed to swim for the Texas Longhorns next year, where she’ll get to test out her short course yards mettle.

Evans’ national record highlights a banner week for the Bahamas, with no less than 5 national records falling at the Pan American Games.

Evans teamed with star sprinter Arianna Vanderpool-Wallace to rewrite the women’s freestyle records. Vanderpool-Wallace broke the 50 free record (24.31) and Evans took the 800 free. Vanderpool-Wallace also managed to smash the 100 fly mark with a 59.33.

On the men’s side, 19-year-old Dustin Tynes broke two breaststroking records while taking 10th in the 100 breast (1:02.49) and 14th in the 200 breast (2:18.13). Tynes even went under the 50 breast record in the first split of his 100 breast, going 28.55.