Team Fiji swimming team will send 49 athletes to the 2015 Pacific School Games which starts in Adelaide, Australia on Saturday.

Fiji Swimming president Ben Rova said this would be the biggest group to take part in an overseas tournament.

“This is the biggest contingent ever to be sent abroad by Fiji Swimming,” Rova said.

“This is part of the development for the swimmers and this will encourage more to represent Fiji in international meets.”

Team Fiji will be captained by Max Collingwood while 2015 Young female swimmer of the Year Rosemarie Rova will be the flag-barrier during the opening ceremony.

“This is a good number of swimmers to represent to Fiji. We are determined to do our best to make Fiji proud,”Collingwood said.

The team will be presenting its itatau  (traditional farewell) to the President Jioji Konrote in Suva this afternoon and departs for Australia on Thursday.

Fiji’s chances for Rio

Fiji Swimming started the year well after Meli Malani won the 2014 Sportsman of the Year award in February.

“We are grateful to the world swim body, FINA for extending the scholarship for Malani in the United States for another. This allows him to train and prepare him to make the Olympic qualifying times for Rio 2016,” Rova said.

“We are grateful also to the Olympic Solidarity and Fiji Association of National Olympic Committee for helping in Matelita Buadromo’s preparation for Rio.

She left for Brisbaney last week with coach Sharon Pickering.

Scholarships

This year saw the completion of Cheyenne Rova’s and William Clark’s two-year scholarship programmes at the Iowa Lakes Community College.

Both did Fiji Swimming proud and Clark is now a  trainee pilot while Cheyenne was offered another two years scholarship at the University of Minnesota.

Rova said three other swimmers Adele, Paul and Brosnan were on the programme.

“We have another three swimmers who have applied for consideration from August next year.”

Strategic plan

Fiji Swimming has established the 2016 – 2023 Strategic Plan targeting improvements at the 2019 and 2023 Pacific Games.

“Our Junior, bronze, silver and gold squads will be having their first camp in the West in December,” Rova said.

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