OLYMPICS UPDATE
Andrew MacKay breaks own Cayman Islands 400m record
Andrew MacKay
Saturday, August 14, 2004
Andrew MacKay broke his own Cayman Islands record in finishing second in his
heat of the 400-meter individual medley Saturday morning in the Olympic Aquatic
Centre. His time of 4:32.38 was 0.58 seconds quicker than his previous best in
the event. MacKay, the Cayman Islands' first-ever Olympic qualifier, will have
three days off before he competes in the 200-meter individual medley on
Wednesday.
MacKay was part of the first official swimming heat of the Athens Olympics,
touching the wall second out of four competitors, just 0.36 seconds behind Sasa
Impric of Croatia. MacKay's time would end up 33rd among the 36-swimmer field.
His seed time of 4:32.96, the previous Cayman Islands record achieved at the
2003 Pan American Games, was the 34th-quickest in the field, meaning MacKay
moved up one position from his seeding. In addition to beating the two swimmers
who came in with slower qualifying times (Yu-An Lin of Chinese Taipei and Nikita
Polyakov of Uzbekistan), he was faster than Miguel Molina of the Philippines,
who finished eighth in heat two with a time of 4:33.25, which was nearly 10
seconds off his seed time (4:23.26).
MacKay will take part in the second of seven heats of the 200-meter
individual medley on Wednesday. The Caymanian's qualifying mark of 2:08.15 ranks
47th in the 50-swimmer field. MacKay will be in lane one.
MacKay holds the Cayman Islands national records in long-course meters in all
backstroke, breaststroke, and individual medley events, as well as the 100-meter
butterfly. He is coached by former U.S. great Dave Kelsheimer. MacKay failed to
qualify for the Olympics in his top event (100 backstroke), but then garnered an
invitation in the 200 individual medley at the 2003 Caribbean Championships in
Jamaica. His 400 individual medley qualifying time came at the '03 Pan Am Games.
In the 2003 World Championships in Barcelona, Mackay, 17 years old at the
time, registered the fastest start reaction time (.63 seconds) in the entire
78-swimmer field in the 200 individual medley (he finished 48th). His extensive
international experience includes competing at the 2002 World Short Course
Championships in Moscow, reaching the semifinals at the '02 Commonwealth Games
in Manchester, and becoming the first Caymanian to advance to the finals in the
Pan American Games, in '03. Mackay earned 31 medals (14 gold, 11 silver, 6
bronze) at the CARIFTA (Caribbean Free Trade Agreement) Swimming Championships,
setting six records on the way. He medaled in nine events (4 gold, 5 silver) in
the Island Games, setting three records, of which the 100 back mark still
stands. Mackay also won the Cayman Islands Swimming Coach's Award in '02. His
top long-course times include 2:08.15 in the 200 individual medley and now
4:32.38 in the 400 individual medley.
For more information on the Olympics, see
www.athens2004.com
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