Fiji Swimming targets fast times for Pacific Games

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Swimmer Taichi Vakasama at the Fiji Games competition in Suva. Picture: SUPPLIED

FIJI Swimming is looking to take a small group of quality swimmers to the upcoming Samoa Pacific Games after the final trials were held jointly with the Fiji Games in the weekend at the Damodar City Aquatic Centre in Suva.

Team Fiji head coach Sharon Smith said swimmers who had made the qualifying times would be taken into the final squad.

“At the moment there are 12 swimmers who have actually made the qualifying times and so we are going to wait three more days to see who can make it. It is going to be a very small but strong team that we are taking,” said Smith.

Fiji Swimming aims to take 16 swimmers with A and B grade qualification times to the Pacific Games.

“We are looking at very fast times and a few records have been broken at the Fiji Games and that shows that we are improving and is a good sign.

“Twelve have made it but we are aiming to take 16 so if we do have only 12 that made the qualifying times then that’s what will settle with,” said Smith.

Meanwhile, three records have been broken at the Fiji Swimming Fiji Games competition.

The first record was broken by Taichi Vakasama in the 400m individual medley with a time of 4.38.91.

Vakasama broke his own record (4.47.13) he set in the 11th Oceania Championships.

Vakasama also broke Meli Malanis 50m breaststroke record (29.25) with a time of 29.10s.

The third record was broken by Netani Ross who swam a time of 1.00.01 minutes in the 100m backstroke beating his old time of 1.00.73 set in the 2018 Junior PAN Pacific Games.

“There’s a lot of good competition going on here at the Fiji Games and we can only hope for better results in a few months to come.

“We want to improve our performance this year, we got one gold medal last year and everyone’s working so hard and it is up to us to get it right,” said Smith.

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