Young Tongans make a splash
Four young Tongan swimmers have won hearts — and a special award — at the AIMS Games in Tauranga. The popular Ocean of Light Academy team is being called “Pool Runnings” after the Jamaican bobsleigh team who competed at the 1988 Winter Olympics, inspiring the film Cool Runnings.
The youngsters train six days a week at home — in an outdoor hotel pool and a makeshift 50m ocean facility at a naval base. They’re coached by their parents, who are guided by YouTube videos.
Two of the team made finals at AIMS this week, and all four recorded personal best times.
Vaoahi Afu, 11, Koti Uhi,12, Saia Day, 13 and Keli Langi, 12 were also awarded the ACC Sport Smart medal at BayWave in Mount Maunganui.
The special award is given to the team or individual with the best spirit, fair play and respect for their teammates/and or opposition, coaches and referees.
“The whole team swam exceptionally well over both days, with all swimmers achieving new PBs [personal bests],” said Helen Williamson, AIMS swimming meet manager.
“I was impressed with how they carried themselves while at the pool . . . they were always attentive, respectful and courteous and very appreciative.”
Williamson said she also awarded the medal to the team’s Tauranga hosts for their unwavering support during the competition. “They were a delight to have at the pool.”
Day and Uhi both raced in finals on Tuesday. Day finished 8th in the 13-year-old boys 50m breaststroke, with a time of 39.83 (a new PB).
The fact that they qualified with . . . no proper pool and no fulltime coach is a huge achievement. Helen Williamson AIMS swimming meet manager
Uhi, in the 12-year-old boys, finished 6th in the 50m breaststroke, 8th in the 50m backstroke and 9th in the 100m breaststroke.
He also finished 9th in the 200m breaststroke and recorded personal best times in all four events. Langi, 1st reserve for the 12-year-old boys 50m freestyle final, was not needed.
Williamson said it was fantastic to have an international presence at the meet. “The qualifying times . . . are tough. The fact that they qualified with the facilities they have — no proper pool and no fulltime coach — is a huge achievement in itself.
“I hope they travel back to Tonga with a sense of achievement and pride in what they have done . . . We would love to see them [next year].”
The four Tongan athletes and five of their family members have been staying with three households in Pãpãmoa. They arrived in Tauranga last Friday and planned to do some sightseeing for the rest of this week.
Last week was spent in Auckland, where the team stayed at coach Jane Logan’s house and trained twice a day, mainly focusing on diving and turning. The pools they train at in Tonga don’t have starting blocks.
It was also a chance for the four to get professional coaching.
In Tonga, “We’re just looking on the YouTube and stuff. And if anyone comes to Tonga and they’ve been swimming before, we just ask them to help,” said mum Kilisitina Uhi.