BARCELONA -- Chris Flook was not satisfied with merely winning his first swimming heat as an Olympian -- he had to do it in style.

The rest of the Bermuda swim team will be wise to follow his example, as the 19-year-old smashed the Bermuda record in the 100 metres breaststroke yesterday morning at the Bernat Picornell pool.

Flook's time of one minute, 4.93 seconds was over a second faster than the eight-year-old mark set by Victor Ruberry at the 1984 Los Angeles Games (1:05.97) and shattered his own personal best by over a second and a half.

But Flook's heroics were not nearly enough to qualify him for last night's final, in fact his time was the 33rd fastest out of 58 swimmers in eight heats. But he can take solace that he is continuing to improve.

Coach Gareth Davies said, "I knew Victor's record would take some beating and he smashed it. It was an excellent start for the team.'' By all accounts, Flook could have gone even faster.

He got off to a fine start in lane five of the third heat and opened a lead of half a body length in hitting the 50-metre mark at 30-53 seconds. But his turn was disappointing and the Bermudian suddenly found himself a body length behind Lee Concepcion of the Phillippines in lane four when he re-emerged.

Flook caught Concepcion at the 80-metre mark and went on to win comfortably with the Filipino second in 1:05.16. The others in order were Alexandre Yokochi of Portugal (1:05.61), Charalambos Panayides of Cyprus (1:06.19), Jia Han Chi of Hong Komg (1:06.81), Bernard Desmarais of Mauritius (1:07.75) and Abderazak of Algeria (1:07.88).

Flook complained of stuffiness in the swimmers' waiting room, which took him away from his pre-game plan. "We have a breathing technique to calm you down before a big race but it was so hot in there and then I had to come out in front of this big crowd,'' he said.

"I was pleased with the swim but a little disappointed because I know I could have gone faster. I haven't had much experience in big meets like this, but I was pretty pleased.'' Flook added that he went too deep at the turn and that probably cost him a half second. "I didn't know I was in front at the turn until I just looked at the sheets,'' he said. "I lost concentration and went a little deep. My first stroke it was hard to get to the top of the water.'' The Bermudian went into the day ranked 42nd at the Games and his nine-place improvement is just the start coach Davies had hoped for.

"It's great. You've got to be pleased with a 1:04,'' he said. "But I think he can go quicker.'' Flook will be in action again on Wednesday in the 200m breaststroke, his weaker event. He is ranked 46th out of 54 entrants.

This morning, Ian Raynor and Jenny Smatt see their first Olympic action.

Raynor will go off first in heat two of the 100m butterfly and Smatt will race in heat one of the 100m breaststroke. Raynor's event is the first of the morning and Smatt's is fourth. Racing starts at 9.30 a.m. (4.30 a.m. Bermuda time.) "The main thing is to keep myself relaxed, so I can get a better pump for the 100 and 50 freestyle,'' said Raynor.

Smatt said: "Right now I'm trying not to think it's the Olympics. It's another 200 swim. I'll take it out strong in the 100 and then bring it back as best I can and go for my PB.

"It's great to have the 200 first because I can get to feel my stroke, see how the pool feels, see how the waiting room is and how the starter is.'' Turn to Page 28 for more news on Bermuda's Olympians.

CHRIS FLOOK -- Swam a personal best, and new Bermuda record, to win his Olympic heat.