PARIS, France — Jamaica’s swimmer Josh Kirlew is targeting a national record-breaking performance when he competes in the men’s 100m butterfly at the Olympic Games in Paris on Friday. The event is scheduled to start at 4:00 am Jamaica time.

Kirlew, based in the United Kingdom and boasting a personal best time of 54.24 seconds, secured his place at the Olympic Games through the universality clause as the fastest men’s swimmer from Jamaica.

He said he expects competition to be very difficult, but he is prepared to do his best for Jamaica.

“I am feeling good, because as long as I just stick to my process goals and just [swim] as hard as I can, then I know that I am going to do well in the competition,” said Kirlew.

“I am just going to go there and have fun, because the goal is just getting here in the first place, and so everything other than that is a bonus. I am just going to get in there and do what I always do. I would love to get a PB [personal best] and also a national record, and this will be a massive accomplishment for me at the Olympic Games,” Kirlew noted.

The 24-year-old Kirlew is one of three athletes who will represent Jamaica in the pool at the Paris Games, with diver Yona Knight-Wisdom and swimmer Sabrina Lynn being the others.

Kirlew emphasised that he has done a lot of hard work in his build-up for the Olympic Games, so he is now focusing on executing a proper race, and if he can achieve this, he will be pleased with himself.

“I have done a lot of speed work in my preparation for this Olympic Games because I have to make my first 50 metres seamless, and so when I am coming back I can get everything that I got. I am not focusing on the competition, I am going to focus on my own race and enjoy it. I am going to make sure that my mental game is there, and then everything will fall into place,” he said.