15th may 2026
At the 14th Oceania Aquatic Championships in Suva, the Federated States of Micronesia swim team delivered a performance defined by personal progress, resilience, and team unity. Across a full programme of events, the FSM swimmers recorded significant personal bests, reached finals, and gained valuable international experience. The team is a mix of emerging young talent and experienced athletes with siblings competing side by side and a clear pathway toward future international goals, the championships marked an encouraging step forward for Micronesian swimming.
FSM Swimming Association’s Secretary General MaryAnn Eperia accompanied the team in Fiji and emphasises both ambition and community as key drivers of the nation’s swimming development.
“We’re really trying to develop our swimmers so that they are able to compete at the global level for LA 2028”
MaryAnn outlined that the federation’s primary focus is building towards the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games, with a strong emphasis on developing athletes capable of competing on the global stage. Alongside this, she highlighted the importance of consistent exposure through regional and international competitions, including Oceania events and the Pacific Games, as essential steps in that pathway.
Secretary General MaryAnn Eperia also stressed the cultural importance of swimming in Micronesia, noting that as an island nation made up of hundreds of islands, swimming is not just a sport but a vital life skill. Ensuring that young people learn to swim properly, she explained, is critical both for safety and for nurturing future athletes.
The FSM team here at the Oceania Aquatic’s Championships, Katerson, Kaylinn, Kestra, and Melinda, play an important part of inspiring the next generation.
Highlights for the team include multiple personal bests from 16-year-old Kaylinn Kihleng, a breaststroke final appearance from Kestra Kihleng, and major improvements from siblings Melinda and Katerson Moya, including Katerson’s near 10-second drop in the 200m freestyle.
Kaylinn Kihleng
Sixteen-year-old Kaylinn Kihleng delivered one of the team’s standout performances, marking a major step forward in her international career. She recorded personal bests in four events, including 33.87 in the 50m butterfly, 2:39.13 in the 200m freestyle, and 1:09.43 in the 100m freestyle, while also adding a 29.90 swim in the 50m freestyle. Her 50m backstroke (34.86) also showed significant improvement.
Smiling she shares “I’ve PB’d in all of them, except the 50 breaststroke, but that’s not my main event, so I’m just really happy about how far I’ve come.”
Having previously competed at the Oceania Championships, as well as the Junior Pan Pacific Championships and Pacific Mini Games, Kaylinn noted her growing confidence on the international stage.
” I feel pretty comfortable, I’m still learning so I’ve a lot to learn but so far I think I’m comfortable with everything.”
She credited her team and family for their support during a recent move to the United States
Kestra Kihleng,
Twenty two years old, Kestra brought experience and depth, competing across a wide program. She posted 30.63 in the 50m butterfly, 1:04.51 in the 100m freestyle, 5:27.60 in the 400m freestyle, and 29.35 in the 50m freestyle, while also swimming 3:11.67 in the 200m breaststroke. She reached the final of the 100m breaststroke, finishing in 1:24.61, and placed in the 200m freestyle final with 2:28.97.
Reflecting candidly on her performance, she acknowledged the difficulty of the competition:
“It’s been a tough season…I just had a competition last month, which was pretty okay, but I think I’m a bit fatigued from that competition.”
Despite the challenges, her focus remains on building consistency and carrying forward experience from recent meets: “I’m just trying to carry the momentum from past competitions.”
Kestra has her eyes on the future. “I’ve been training since the past Olympics, I’m really excited for the next Olympics, I hope I can go.”
She closed with a heartfelt message to those supporting her from home:
“To all our family and friends back home, I just want to say thank you so much for all your support. It really means a lot to me, especially during these past two years. I love you all. Thank you.”
Another sibling pairing, Melinda Moya, 14, and Katerson Moya, 19, added both youth and versatility to the team.
Melinda Moya
Melinda impressed with multiple personal bests, including 34.88 in the 50m butterfly, 46.54 in the 50m breaststroke, and 32.07 in the 50m freestyle, alongside solid swims in the 100m freestyle (1:13.31), 100m butterfly (1:35.57), and 50m backstroke (37.92). She spoke positively about her experience, enjoying her races, the atmosphere in Fiji, and especially the local food, while expressing gratitude to her supporters at home.
Katerson Moya
Katerson showed some of the team’s biggest improvements, highlighted by a 9.98-second drop in the 200m freestyle (2:15.40). He also recorded a 50m backstroke personal best of 30.09 and added times of 27.47 in the 50m butterfly, 1:03.53 in the 100m butterfly, 33.51 in the 50m breaststroke, 57.45 in the 100m freestyle, and 25.70 in the 50m freestyle.
Reflecting on the championships as a whole, the team praised the welcoming environment in Suva and the wider Oceania,where competition in the pool is matched by camaraderie outside it.
MaryAnn remarks how, “despite being spread across the Pacific, the ocean does separate us, but it also connects us”, with athletes supporting one another beyond the races. This shared culture and connection continue to unite the region, reinforcing a strong sense of one Pacific family.
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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.