Vanuatu have a vision – July 3rd 2025
Vanuatu have reached Day 4 of the swimming schedule where they can be rightly proud of their impressive efforts. Every athlete in the 8 person aquatics team has broken personal bests and/or National Records. On Day 3 alone, they racked up another three National Records and four personal bests. A reflection of the consistent approach and development that is focussed upon by those leading elite swimming in Vanuatu.
Importantly, this consistent approach has a much wider reach and impact for the future of aquatics in Vanuatu.
Swimmer, Pamela Mesa, reinforces this through her own backstory which highlights the importance of opportunity.
‘It was a school activity, they offered free swimming lessons when I was in grade three, Then we started doing open water swimming and joined the Paradise Academy.’
Those free lessons led Pamela to her current enjoyment of swimming and the wider benefits she experiences.
‘By 2023, I got the opportunity in representing Vanuatu in the Commonwealth Games and I just never stopped swimming. I just love swimming. I make friends in sports and yeah that’s what got me into swimming. It has really been a huge part of our family lives since they’re there to support us. When I swim it’s just I literally forget about everything. It just makes me happy and having that thought in mind boosts me to do better. Swimming has brought me away from a lot of things that could have pulled me away from sport. But with swimming, I have kept myself, my physical health and mental health, I have kept it together through sports and it has really helped me with myself. I’ve made friends through swimming and visited countries through swimming, it’s really great.’
Day 4 in the pool was again no different for Vanuatu with another 3 National Records falling alongside 7 personal best times.
Léo Lebot broke the one minute barrier in swimming 59.10 seconds in the Men’s 100m freestyle. Leo trains in Australia and this time lowered his previous National Record of 1-00.47 set only last month at a Meet in Brisbane.
Elven Todman also got in on the act by clocking 1.05.17 for a personal best. He gave his reaction afterwards,
‘ I feel really good, yeah, because in the last few weeks I wasn’t doing any PB. So doing a PB in the competition is really good. So yeah, I’m really happy and proud. I think the mental side helps as I tell myself before each competition, it’s just 40 seconds in the pool. I just try to disconnect and just like give it my all.’
Loane Russet continues to have a great Games. She lowered her own National Record in the 100m Freestyle by just under one second, recording a time of 1.01.83, placing her in the top 10 here in Palau. There were also personal bests for Lou-Anne Delrieu, 1.13.55 and Chloe Ameara in 1.20.89.
Last up was the Mixed 4 x 50m Freestyle Relay. An event that the team don’t get to try very often. Resulting in another National record, a time of 1.56.25. The team consisted of Léo Lebot, Lou-Anne Delrieu, Elven Todman and Loane Russet.
Words & interviews: The Reporters’ Academy. Photos: Ryota Nishida