Pacific swimmers are making themselves known against a competitive field at the Oceania Swimming Championships, in Fiji. Photo credit: Andrea Schuster.
Source: Oceania Aquatics
May 10 was the second day of pool competition at the 14th Oceania Aquatics Championships from Fiji’s National Aquatic Centre, bringing together all 13 Oceania Aquatics member nations for long course racing.
The finals programme featured 11 events, spanning individual medley, sprint, middle-distance and relay races.
Falling on Mother’s Day, the occasion carried added significance, with many swimmers dedicating their performances to the women in their lives during their post-race interviews.
The day built to an electric finish in the relays, where crowd energy and team spirit rose above the pumping music on deck.
Overall, 10 medals were won by Oceania Aquatic member teams and a new Championship record.
The first swimmer out onto the deck alongside six others for the Women’s 400m Individual Medley was Fijian Vivita Bai, the crowd was with her all the way to seventh place.
Similarly in the Men’s Individual 400m Medley Fiji’s Jeremiah Rova followed and placed seventh.
A personal best and fifth place for Cook Island’s Mia Laben in the final of the Women’s 50m Backstroke.
Joined by Samoa’s Nafanua Hamilton in fourth with a personal best and Salani Sa’aga in seventh.
In race B Tonga’s Carolann Faeamani got a personal best while surrounded by swimmers from Northern Mariana Islands, Fiji, Samoa and Papua New Guinea.
Flashback to the morning heats where notably Federated States of Micronesia’s Kihleng Kaylinn got a new personal best.
Northern Mariana Islands’ Isaiah Aleksenko took gold in the Men’s 50m Backstroke, setting a new personal best record.
He was joined by teammate Juhn Tenorio, who placed fourth and also recorded a personal best.
Meanwhile, there was gold and a new personal best for Fiji’s Anahira McCutcheon in the Women’s 100m Freestyle.
Fiji’s Tolu Young secured his second gold of the championships in the Men’s 100m Freestyle.
Day three
Yesterday, May 11 saw another 10 medals awarded to Oceania Aquatics member nations across the night.
The session opened with the Women’s 50m Breaststroke, where Cook Islands’ Lanihei Connolly claimed gold.
Fiji was strongly represented, with Anahira McCutcheon finishing fifth and Kelera Mudunasoko seventh, while Tonga’s Vaoahi Afu placed eighth.
In the B Final, Papua New Guinea’s Roaxanne Kirarock and Vanuatu’s Loane Russet both achieved new personal bests.
In the Men’s 50m Breaststroke, Fiji’s Samuel Yalimaiwai secured gold in a close race, with Cook Islands’ Jacob Story taking silver.
Fiji’s Don Younger finished fifth and Samoa’s Christian Toia sixth.
Samoa’s Nafanua Hamilton earned bronze in the Women’s 400m Freestyle, with teammate Talia Saumamao placing seventh and Fiji’s Salote Leca finishing eighth.
There have been numerous outstanding performances throughout the day from our Pacific swimmers, achieving personal bests and making themselves known among a very competitive field.
The Oceania Swimming Championships conclude on May 13.
Check with your local Pacific broadcasters for more Oceania Swimming Championships coverage.