Mercedes Farhat on the big screen at the Water Cube as she readies for her heat in the 100-meter breaststsroke. Farhat bettered her previous best time by nearly 3.5 seconds. And she won her Olympic heat, edging Ann Salnikova of Georgia by .02.

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BEIJING — When Mercedes Farhat stepped onto the starting blocks at the National Aquatic Center before the first heat in the 100-meter breaststroke Sunday, she was just one of 49 competitors.

Less than two minutes later she became just the second woman to ever swim for Libya in the Olympics. Admira Edrahi was the first in Athens in 2004 in the 50-meter freestyle.

Farhat’s time of 1:21.68 was more than 16 seconds slower than the Olympic-record time of 1:05.64 set in the preliminaries by Australian Leisel Jones, and she was 47th out of 49. That hardly mattered. The Marco Island resident was an Olympian.

“It was amazing,” said Farhat, who swam for Lely High School. “As soon as a I stepped out there in front of all the people, it was like a dream come true.

“I was definitely nervous. If you look out there, the entire stands are full. It’s like a prelim and it’s that big. High school states is like a big deal. But there aren’t that many people and the world isn’t watching you on TV.”

Farhat, who went by the first name of Asmahan in the Olympics, made the most of her one race here. She bettered her previous best time by nearly 3.5 seconds. And she won her heat, edging Ann Salnikova of Georgia by .02.

“Since I only had one event to swim, it was give it all,” said Farhat, 18. “My goal was to win my heat, which I did. I am so glad.”

Naples High graduate Nancy Rios starts her Olympic competition on Monday in windsurfing, known as RS:X, in Qingdao.

After originally being slated to compete in the 100- and 200-meter backstroke, the 100 and 200 breaststroke, and the 200 individual medley, Farhat wrote in her blog last Thursday that "because of some complications with the rules'' she would only be swimming in the 100 breaststroke.

Farhat’s Olympic dream began three years ago when her father, Kamal, suggested she swim for his home country, Libya. She had to apply for dual citizenship, and she had to change her first name from Mercedes.

It was all worth it.

She got to march in the Opening Ceremony in an elaborate Libyan costume. She got to stay in the Olympic village with thousands of other athletes from around the world. And she got to get up close and personal with one of the best athletes in the world.

“I got to swim in a warm up lane with (Michael Phelps) earlier, and that was another dream come true,” she said.

The best part of her Olympic experience?

“That race right there was the best part and finishing and representing the country that gave me so many opportunities in a good way,” she said.

As much as Farhat has enjoyed her first Olympics, her time in Beijing is drawing to a close. She will be catching a red-eye flight back home late Monday night.

“I have to start the University of Florida on Sunday,” she said.