Kelera  Mudunasoko will be a star swimmer to look out for in the future.

The Year Nine student of Swami Vivekananda College, Nadi, has her time closest to Pacific Games breast stroke gold medalist and Olympic hopeful, Moana Wind.

Wind clocked a time of 1:13.79 at the 2019 Samoa Pacific Games in the women’s 100m breast stroke while Mudunasoko has a personal best of 1:18.85.

And she could be better says Fiji Swimming president, Ben Rova.

“She is one of the promising swimmers who is likely to follow into Wind’s footsteps,” he said.

“Her time is one of the best times, it qualifies for the squad. She could be like Moana or even better if she maintains her performance at this rate.”

Mudunasoko is a regular participant in the local competitions and is yet to represent Fiji.

The 13-year-old hails from Levuka, Lakeba, Lau and has maternal links to Nadroga.

She swims for the Barracuda club in Nadi and hopes to represent Fiji in future.

“I started swimming in 2019,” Mudunasoko said.

“I was introduced by my classmates and my cousins who represented our school in the school competition.

“I don’t like netball but I do athletics besides swimming.

“No one in my family has ever represented Fiji in swimming, or any other sport.

“So I will try my best to go for the Pacific Games in Solomon Islands, and try the Olympic Games after.

“I’m happy of how far I have come and achieved. I did dream of improving my time, but not as early as where I am now.

“My mum told me to join the Barracuda club and take swimming seriously.

“And since then I have been competing locally.”

Barracuda club is coached by Rosemary Rova, who is also the mother of elite swimmers and sisters, Cheyenne and Rosemarie.

“Training with Barracuda swimmers helps me a lot, especially when I’m told what I have done wrong at the same.”

Another swimmer and fellow club member, Patricia Verebasaga, 13, shares the same dream of representing Fiji.

Originally from Nairai, Lomaiviti, Verebasaga grew up in Nadi.

The Year Nine student of International School, Nadi, has been swimming for the past three years.

She was introduced to swimming by her friend and fellow swimmer, Sowane Tagici.

“I just did not have a sport to do, I was bored at home, so I thought to join swimming,” she said.

“I first thought that I was not going to go into it, but here I am now.

“I started off with Mako swim club and then I got into Barracuda swim club.

“I used to do it for leisure, but I’m aiming for 2023 Pacific Games.

“My main stroke is breast stroke, but I also do free style, both 50 meters.

“I have learnt a lot of lessons, socialising especially when I did not intretact with anyone before swimming, so swimming got me into knowing a lot of people from other clubs.”

Fiji Swimming will select a list of swimmers for the Pacific Games training squad once the Olympics qualifiers are done.

The Open Nationals in April will be a qualifying event for the Tokyo Olympics in July, where eight swimmers are vying for the two Olympics spots.

The 2023 Pacific Games will be hosted by the Solomon Islands.

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