10th May 2026
Sunday 10th of May, 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 program 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 6 others for the Women’s 400m Individual Medley was Fijian Vivita Bai, the crowd was with her all the way to 7th place. Similarly in the Men’s Individual 400m Medley Fiji’s Jeremiah Rova followed and placed 7th.
A personal best and 5th place for Cook Island’s Mia Laben in the final of the Women’s 50m Backstroke. Joined by Samoa’sNafanua Hamilton in 4th with a personal best and Salani Sa’aga in 7th. In race B Tonga’s Carolann Faeamani got a personal best whilst surrounded by swimmers from Northern Mariana Islands, Fiji, Samoa and Papua New Guinea. Flash back 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 4th and also recorded a personal best. Final B saw strong representation from Oceania Aquatics member countries including Samoa, Fiji, Palau, Tonga, Cook Islands and the Federated States of Micronesia, with Tonga’s 14-year-old Alexander Villiami achieving a new personal best. Earlier in the morning heats, Marshall Islands’ Jacob Hutchinson made his debut in the event and recorded his first personal best.
Gold and a new personal best for Fiji’s Anahira McCutcheon in the Women’s 100m Freestyle. She was joined in the final by teammate Grace Khelan 6th and Samoa’s Nafanua Hamilton 5th.
Vanuatu’s Loane Russet, American Samoa’s Liana Planz, Guam’s Amaya Bollinger and Fiji’s Grace Khelan all got new personal bests.
Fiji’s Tolu Young secured his second gold of the championships in the Men’s 100m Freestyle. He was joined in the final by teammate Hansel McCaig, who finished fourth. Guam’s Israel Poppe recorded a personal best to place sixth. Race B featured swimmers from Palau, Tonga, Fiji and Samoa, while in the morning heats, Solomon Islands’ Brenton Naka also achieved a personal best.
Cook Islands’ Lanihei Connolly claimed bronze in the Women’s 100m Breaststroke and was joined in the final by Northern Mariana Islands’ Maria Batallones. Fiji’s Kelera Mudunasoko and Tonga’s Vaoahi Afu both recorded personal bests.
Gold for the Cook Islands, thanks to Jacob Story’s and a new Championship Record in the Men’s 100m Breaststroke. Plus a personal best for 5th placed Samuel Yalimaiwai from Fiji. In the heats Solomon Islands’ Junior Sanga recorded a new personal best too.
In the final individual event of the night, Race B featured swimmers from Northern Mariana Islands, Fiji, Cook Islands and Palau, along with two representatives from Papua New Guinea, notably Ashton Nasinom, who achieved a new personal best.
To end the evening the crowd was treated to a show of relays. First was the Mixed 200m Medley Relay. Fiji got the gold in the explosive race, thanks to Kwong, McCutcheon, McCaig and Taito. 4th for Samoa, 7th Cooks and 8th place for Tonga.
In the Women’s 800m Freestyle Relay, Fiji came 5th, whilst North Mariana Islands team featuring Guerrero, Barman, Raho and Batallones came 6th and set a new National Record originally set in 2006.
Finishing the night with the Men’s 800m Freestyle Relay, Northern Mariana Islands 4th, Palau 5th and Fiji 6th.
Attention now turns to Monday’s racing, where swimmers will take on the 50m Breaststroke, 400m Freestyle, 100m Butterfly, 200m Backstroke and the 4x100m Freestyle Relay, promising another full schedule of fast racing and strong regional competition.
….
Thank you to Oceania Aquatics and World Aquatics continental support funding a new generation of Pacific Island reporters during these Championships, with eight trainees from Fiji and Samoa swimming federations working alongside The Reporters’ Academy to develop their skills, capture athlete stories, and share the voices of Pacific swimmers with a global audience.
Photo Credit: Andrea Schuster
