TEAM Fiji swimming is ready to take on tougher teams such as the US, Australia and New Zealand for the Junior Pan Pacific Swimming Championship 2018.
Team captains Netani Ross and Rosemary Rova said it would be a learning experience for the young side.
Rova said they welcomed the opportunity to race against swimmers from top swimming countries as they were developing their skills and time.
“Since they have better facilities, it is great that our small country can learn from them,” she said.
“Since we can host these kinds of events, it will help us not just swimmers but as organisers to learn from these countries. “Although we might not be as tough and fast like them, I think it is a great opportunity to race alongside them.
“They will help us improve on our times and help us become a better hosting nation. “The challenge is getting to the international level — doing the hours of training and having to sacrifice a lot and being dedicated.
“You don’t really have a social life when you get to this point because you start to associate yourself with training and balancing studies.”
Men’s captain Netani Ross said they had trained the hard yards to get where they were now.
“We have qualified by merit and I guess having to prepare ourselves for this competition mentally and physically is kind of tough.
This team is consists of young swimmers and we are here to learn as much as we can.”
Team Fiji was hosted to a dinner by the Fiji Swimming association before the championship starts on Wednesday.
