Vakasama, Rova set records

Two new Fiji Open records have been set by Taichi Vakasama and Rosemarie Rova during the New South Wales State Age Group Swimming Championships in Australia on Wednesday. Rova came ninth in the final of the Girls 14 Years 200 metre LC butterfly and set a new Fiji Open record with a new time of 2:33.72 beating her old record of 2:33.93 set in 2015 during the Pacific School Games in Adelaide, Australia. Vakasama won a bronze medal in Boys 1718 Year 200 metre LC breaststroke final. He set a new Fiji Open record of 2:22.12 beating his previous record of 2:23.22 which was set during the 2016 National Schools Swimming Championships in Suva. The pair are part of the Fiji Swimming Elite Development Squad who attended a training tour to the Australia Institute of Sport. The squad comprised of eight swimmers Ella Jane Rasau (Barracuda), Yolani Blake (Mako), Moana Wind (Barracuda), Rosemarie Rova (Barracuda), Taichi Vakasama (Barracuda), Tevita Fotofili (Barracuda), Kalen Eyre (Dolphin) and Netani Ross (Mako). The group attended a Sportex Interactive Exhibition and also worked with leading coaches and experts such as Nutritionists, Sports Psychologist, Physical Therapist, Recovery Specialist, Soft Tissue Therapist, Strength and Conditioning Coach. Five of the eight swimmers have returned to Fiji on Wednesday. Vakasama, Rova and Moana Wind are still competing and will arrive in the country on Sunday. Edited by Osea Bola