BARCELONA -- Bermuda's swimmers continued to go faster than they ever have as Ian Raynor and Jenny Smatt finished first and second respectively in their 100 metres butterfly and 200 metres breaststroke heats at the Bernat Picornell pool yesterday.

The duo followed the example of Chris Flook, who shattered the Bermuda national record in the 100 breaststroke the day before. Raynor won heat two of his event in 59.03 seconds, just three-100ths of a second off the national record set by Jason Krupp at last year's Pan Am Games.

Then, about an hour-and-a-half later, Smatt demolished her own mark while placing second in the first heat in 2:42.25.

Neither qualified for last night's finals but their performances in less preferred events augur well for the future.

"I was most definitely pleased with the race,'' said Raynor. "This is just a warm-up race for tomorrow. The most important races are the 100 free and then the 50.'' Raynor looked strong throughout his race as he outduelled Tim Eneas of the Bahamas to lead at the halfway point in 27.20 seconds. His second 50 dropped a little but he was nevertheless a comfortable winner.

Second was Plutarco Castellanos Dusavage of Honduras (59.68) with Gustavo Bucaro Ortiz of Guatamala third (59.68), Eneas fourth (1:00.11), Jarrah Al-Asmawi of Kuwait fifth (1:00.77), Ziyad Kashmiri of Saudi Arabia sixth (1:01.00) and Luis Medina Gantier of Bolivia seventh (1:01.14).

"I just felt smooth for the first 50,'' said Raynor, who was 56th overall out of 68. "The end is always harder but I finished strong today.'' The 20 year old is now well prepared heading into today's 100 metres freestyle, which will mark the Olympic debut of Geri Mewett.

"I've been swimming well lately and feeling good in the pool,'' said Mewett.

"I'm really psyched to swim now, seeing Ian and Chris swim well. I'm just ready to go. I've been preparing for it for a long time and I'm hoping it will pay off.'' Like the others, Mewett is also hoping for a personal best and that will mean breaking the national record of 53.00 he set at the Pan Ams. "Anything faster than that I would be really pleased with, but what I would like to do is a 52-low.'' Raynor is in heat three today and Mewett follows in heat four. Smatt knocked over three seconds off her personal best in what she described as her best race over 200 metres in three years.

Swimming in lane five alongside heat winner, 15-year-old Martina Nemec of Austria, Smatt was drawn out of her race plan over the first 100 metres.

"The first 100 felt great. I took it out a little faster than I wanted to,'' said Smatt, 17. "I was planning to go out in 1:17 and bring it back in 1:22 and break 2:40. But I was also looking at the Austrian girl inside of me and she entered at a 2:42. So I was taking my pace off her, but she went out fast as well.'' Nemec's winning time was 2:36.65 which gave her a comfortable margin over Smatt who laboured over the last 50 metres. The Bermudian's splits were 35.71, 1:15.97 and 1:58.08.

"I'm happy with the time and it's a good start for my 100,'' she added. "A 1:15 (for 100 metres) is my second best ever, so it looks good for Wednesday.'' Trailing Smatt, who placed 32nd overall out of 39, were Priscilla Madero of Ecuador (2:46.79), Barbara Pexa of Guam (2:47.27), Claudia Velasquez Ponzoni of Peru (2:47.31), Phuong Nyuyen Thi of Vietnam (2:57.71) and Elke Talma of Seychelles (3:12.13).

Coach Gareth Davies said: "I was very pleased with Ian. He wasn't feeling very good this morning. He was feeling lethargic and heavy, and he was a little concerned going into it. He didn't get a lot of sleep last night, and he came out with a very creditable performance.

"Jenny's race was very, very good. She knocked three-and-a-half seconds off her previous best (2:45.75). She can still go quicker but her first 100 was too fast and she paid for it in the last 50.'' Turn to page 39 for more news on Bermuda's Olympians.

IAN RAYNOR -- Another hear winner for Bermuda in the Olyumpic pool. Teammate Jenny Smatt also did Bermuda proud yesterday, finishing second in her heat.