Charissa Panuve closed out her competition at the 22nd World Aquatics Championships in Singapore in the Women’s 50m Freestyle. Lining up alongside fellow Pacific Island athletes from Papua New Guinea and Samoa. The Kingdom of Tonga sprinter delivered a time of 29.69, with a swift reaction time of 0.65, the second fastest in her heat.
“It felt great,” Charissa said afterwards. “It’s such a short race that you have no space for any mistakes, so it’s quite a lot mentally and physically. Though it’s less than 30 seconds, it takes quite a lot out of you.” She reflected proudly on her time, “I’m pretty happy with it coming out of last season.”
One of the highlights from Charissa’s experience in Singapore has been her connection to her faith. Drawing strength from the meaningful moments between races. “It’s been the environment around me,” she shared. “I’ve had people say encouraging things, not knowing how I was feeling that day. It was little moments that reminded me that God was there… through people I’ve not even met for that long. So it was really loud and clear that it was Him, not me.”
That sense of connection extended to her teammates across Oceania. “It’s such a blessing to have that Oceania family,” she said. “Most of the Oceania guys are coming with two and four swimmers, so putting us all together makes us a big team. I don’t think any other countries have that same bond that we do. It’s such a beautiful thing to be proud of and grateful for.”
Charissa’s trip to Singapore also marked a new chapter as a coach. “This is my little debut as a coach and an athlete. I’ve learned the difference that is made in terms of how I look at races, in and out of the pool. It gives a little more insight as to what needs to be done, what needs to be improved, where I lack and where I’m strong.”
She returns home with no break in sight. “I start coaching the day after tomorrow. No rest!” she smiled. With a commitment to give back to her country, following opportunities provided to her from Tonga Swimming and World Aquatics, she is keen to “give back what I’ve learned to the younger generation coming up”. With plans and aspirations for the future she leaves the competition clear in her next steps, “I’m hoping to take on more managerial roles for Team Tonga, not the big meets but maybe continental meets or regionals.”
Charissa continues to be a proud ambassador for Tonga, through her racing, leadership and unwavering commitment to the sport she loves.
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Written by The Reporters’ Academy