Top swimmer Roy-Allan Burch raised the bar by setting a new national record in an Olympic-standard pool at last week's prestigious Coral Springs swim meet in Florida as local swimmers continued to make a big splash on the world stage.

Burch set a new personal best and national record competing in a 50 metre pool on the way to winning the men's 50 metre freestyle event in a blistering time of 23.40 seconds to serve notice he is rounding into top form ahead of this month's FINA World Championships in Rome.

As recently as last month the 23 -year old swimmer became the first local to complete a 50 metre freestyle race under 23 seconds on a shorter 25 metre course during the Rego Sotheby's National Swimming Championships held at BASA pool.

Also setting new personal best in Florida last week was Burch's 2008 Beijing Games team-mate and current Female Athlete of the Year, Kiera Aitken, who won the women's 400 metre freestyle in a time of four minutes and 34 seconds, shaving some –13 seconds off her entry time of four minutes and 47 seconds.

Aitken led Bermuda's medal haul at the swim meet, grabbing three gold, two silvers, a bronze as well as three gold medals and a bronze in the relay events which saw the Island's representatives set an astonishing five national records.

Mitchell Gariepy was also at his best, recording a personal best in the 200 hundred metre freestyle (two minutes and 53 seconds) and one hundred metre breaststroke (one minute and 39 seconds) events respectively.

Also doing the island proud were Emma Franklin who captured bronze and silver medals in the girls 13-14 backstroke while Lisa Blackburn won a bronze medal in the women's open 50 metre breaststroke.

Earlier this year local swimmers took the Carifta Championships in Aruba by storm by bagging a record 11 medals (six gold, one silver and four bronze), three Carifta records, two local open records as well as 23 local age group records.