Swimmers set for meet

By SULI SULI
THE Papua New Guinea Swimming Inc will use the world championships in Fukuoka, Japan next month to assess how other Pacific Islands swimmers are preparing for the upcoming Pacific Games, an official says.
PNG is preparing four swimmers, Nathaniel Noka and Josh Tarere along with their two female counterparts Abigail Ai Tom and Georgia-Leigh Vele for the July 23-30 championship.
Secretary Carly Pini told The National that the world championships was a significant encounter preceding to the Pacific Games in Solomon Islands in December.
“The world championships is an important preparation meet prior to the Pacific Games to not only gain the valuable racing experience at the international level, but will also enable our swim team to see how the other Pacific Island teams are preparing for the Pacific Games,” Pini said.
“The swimmers should be tapered for these championships and we are expecting personal best times from all of the swimmers.
“The ultimate aim for these championships is to be placed in the top three for the Pacific Island swimmers in their events that the swimmers will be competing in.”
Noka and Tarere are currently training in Port Moresby along with 14-year-old Tom who will be joined by Gold Coast-based Vele for the Japan meeting next month.
Pini said preparations were into final stages with coach Rick Van Der Zant expected to lead the contingent along with manager Sarenah Pini.
“Currently our top training squad in Port Moresby train five afternoon pool sessions and three morning pool periods a week, plus two gym sittings with the high performance,” Pini said.
“We have several of our Pacific Games squad training abroad in Brisbane, Cairns and Gold Coast in Australia, a swimmer on a World Aquatics Scholarship in Thailand, and a swimmer based in Fiji,” she said.
The POM-based team will depart on July 18 and will join coach Zant and Vele in Brisbane before heading to Japan on July 19.