established three national records between them on the way to winning two gold, four silver and four bronze medals at the Thanksgiving Invitational swim meet in Salinas, Puerto Rico over the weekend.

The event was held over four days and involved teams from about eight countries.

It marked the start of the Olympic build-up for the local pair who have realistically the best chance of attaining the demanding qualifying standards set by FINA (International Swimming Federation) for next Summer's Games in Atlanta, Georgia.

The high point of the pair's participation in Puerto Rico came on the final day when Fahy won the 50 metres butterfly in 26.59 seconds, which was about seven tenths of a second faster than the existing Puerto Rico record. Not only was it a pool record but also a national record for Bermuda.

In the process, 17-year-old Fahy beat Edwardo Gonsalves who represented Puerto Rico in the Pan American Games in Argentina by 17 100ths of a second.

The achievement clipped three-quarters of a second off Fahy's best time which was set in the morning at 27.21 when he was beaten by Gonsalves who established the Puerto Rico national record, only to lose it to Fahy later in the day.

"This sprint time in the butterfly really shows he has the basic speed required to swim well below the Olympic qualifying time of 57.32 for the 100 fly,'' said a delighted national coach Gareth Davies, who pointed out that the 50 metres fly is not an Olympic event.

Davies felt the meet was of a high standard even though it wasn't of the calibre of the CAC Championships. "The top end was of a very good calibre, with some first class swimmers,'' said the coach.

Fahy, who competed in the 50, 100 and 200 freestyle and 50, 100 and 200 butterfly, was fourth overall in the open category with two gold (the other coming in the 100 butterfly), two silver in the 50 and 200 free and two bronze medals in the 200 fly and 100 free.

In the process he established a national record, bettered the Puerto Rico record and set two personal best times.

Twenty two year-old Harris, whose speciality is the backstroke and individual medley, swam in seven events, the 50, 100 and 200 freestyle, 50, 100 and 200 backstroke and 200 individual medley. He won silver medals in the 100 and 200 back and bronze in the 50 back and 200 IM.

Harris also set two national records, in the 200 backstroke in 2:15.61 which bettered his previous performance at the Pan Pacific Championship and in the 50 back in which he had a time of 30.39 which beat his morning time of 30:65.

"The good thing is they are very, very enthusiastic and it shows me a couple of things, one that if we're going to give these guys a realistic chance of making the Olympic qualifying times then we have to find the time to go overseas to train on a long course,'' added Davies.

"Both of them have a solid shot at making one of the quaifying times. They (times) are very demanding, there's no two ways about that. Stanley didn't do as well as Stephen but he has the potential. He has been swimming in 25 yard pools in college.

"Basically the federation is trying to cut down on the number of people in (Olympic) swimming, in fact, the number of people in the (Olympic) village, so they have made these times considerbly stiffer than our normal qualifying times.'' Davies said sufficient overseas training over longer courses, and competition, would be the key for the Olympic hopefuls. Harris has returned to the University of Massachusetts where he is soon to graduate while Fahy will continue swimming until the end of December before a three week break is taken until the end of January.