Seghers carries hopes

The National Sports

By ISAAC LIRI
SAM Seghers was Papua New Guinea’s best on day one of the Oceania Swimming Championships at the Taurama Aquatic Centre yesterday.
Earlier in the day, the 23-year old qualified for the finals in the men’s 50m Butterfly heats with a time of 26.17 which was outside his personal best of 25.63.
In the 50m butterfly finals, Seghers finished fourth, clocking 25.87 behind the heavyweights Alex Quach (25.50) from Australia (bronze), Wilrich Coeteze (24.94) from New Zealand (silver) and Swift Carter (24.66) from New Zealand (gold). Despite missing out, Seghers was awarded gold medal in the Pacific Island division timing, an arrangement which was agreed by the Oceania Swimming Asociation to reward non-Australian and New Zealand swimmers who finish with qualifying times.
In the 200m freestyle, Seghers finished first in the finals of the B division in a time of 1.56.76, however he missed out on a medal due to his time being outside a qualifying time.
PNG Swimming Inc president Elizabeth Wells said Seghers was the most experienced swimmer among PNG swimmers.
“Sam is the one that our young swimmers look up too for guidance,” Wells said.
“He got a gold medal (island medal) in the men’s 50m butterfly but 100m and 200m freestyle are his major stroke.
“He trains in Australia while he’s studying at university down there and for him to come and represent PNG is great.”
Wells mentioned that the chances for PNG to win Oceania medals — apart from Island medals — in the championships was possible.
“This swimmers taking part for PNG now are developing swimmers. “Because this event is held in PNG, they are the ones that we’re trying to lift up and that’s the next level of swimmers coming through for the next Oceania Championships, Pacific Games and World Championships.
“We’re grooming these ones and it is a great opportunity to give them a taste of what an international competition is like,” Wells said.
Other PNG male swimmers who impressed on day one include 21-year-old Livingston Aika, who swam a personal best of 26.17 from his previous time of 26.48 in the men’s 50m butterfly.