Paris, France – Jamaican swimmer Josh Kirlew may have finished near the bottom of the standings in his Olympic debut in the men’s 100m butterfly, but his joy was palpable as he exited the pool at the Paris La Defense Arena on Friday morning.
For Kirlew, being officially recognized as an Olympian was a dream come true, overshadowing his fifth-place finish in Heat One with a time of 54.66 seconds.
Competing out of Lane 6, Kirlew had a slow start and never fully recovered, trailing behind Croatia’s Nikola Miljenic, who won the heat in 53.32 seconds. Despite his heat being the slowest and none of its swimmers advancing to the semi-finals, Kirlew remained upbeat, ranking joint 36th out of 40 competitors. Hungary’s Kristof Milak led the field with the fastest time of 50.19 seconds.
Reflecting on his performance, Kirlew expressed satisfaction with his execution. “I achieved everything that I set out to—the number of stroke counts, the breathing patterns, the turn, the dive—I did everything I could, and that’s all I ask of myself. If the time doesn’t show, then it just means I’ll get it next time,” he said.
Kirlew’s pride
Kirlew’s pride was evident as he spoke about representing Jamaica on the Olympic stage. “It’s actually an honor to perform at this level for my country. I’m glad I’m here, glad that I was able to swim, and ultimately, there are many more things to come,” he added. He expressed gratitude to the Aquatics Sports Association of Jamaica and the country for the opportunity to represent the black, green, and gold.
The 24-year-old swimmer also cherished his role as Jamaica’s flagbearer alongside triple jumper Shanieka Ricketts during the Opening Ceremony on the River Seine. “Being here as an Olympian is an achievement, but being given the honor of holding the flag as flagbearer, I was on cloud nine when I found out. I was honored and humbled to be given such a great responsibility on my Olympic debut,” Kirlew shared.
Kirlew’s Olympic experience, despite its challenges, left him with fond memories. “It’s been so surreal, sharing and living in a communal space with the best of the best. Ultimately, one day I hope to be there at the very top alongside them all.”
As his Olympic journey concludes, Kirlew plans to return to law school and continue training, with hopes of further developing his potential for future competitions. He remains optimistic about his swimming career and the possibility of achieving greater success in the next four years.
