Swimmers on show

New Zealand-based swimmer Anahira McCutcheon bagged three gold medals on the first day of the Swimming Fiji Age Group Nationals at the Damodar City Acquatic Centre in Suva yesterday.

Swimming for the Mako Swim Club from Nadi, McCutcheon won the girls under-12 100 metres butterfly, 200m individual medley and 100m breaststroke.

She swam a time of 1 minute 11.39 seconds in the 100m butterfly, 2 minutes 46.08 seconds in the 200m IM and 1 minute 26.95 seconds in the 100m breaststroke.

Tahune Samson, also of the Mako club, bagged a gold medal in the under-12 boys 100m breaststroke with a personal best time of 1 minute 36.27 second.

Samson, who was born in Japan, bagged a silver medal in the boys 50m butterfly in 40.1 seconds.

Ofa Lagonilakeba won a silver medal for the club in the under-17 girls breaststroke event in a time of 1 minute 30.61 seconds.

Mako club coach Marlene Vuniwaqa said the team had been preparing for the Age Group Nationals for a couple of months and they had been looking forward to some personal best times.

“My expectations are always high for my swimmers to swim their very best. On competition day is where they take ownership,” she said.

“As a coach, it’s an overwhelming experience when records are broken.”

At the end of the first day, the Marlin Blues club leads the combined medal tally with 20 gold, 24 silver and 32 bronze medals.

In second place is the Dolphins club with 16 gold, 12 silver and 3 bronze medals.

Meanwhile, three national records were set. Competition continues today.