Olympic hopeful and future swim star, Hansel McCaig, would like to win individual medals in the 2023 Solomon Islands Pacific Games.

The 17-year-old Yat Sen Secondary School student won two gold medals at the 2019 Pacific Games in Samoa in the relay.

Balancing school and training has been quite tough for the Year 13 student.

McCaig would like to follow into the footsteps of former Olympian Carl Probert.

“I started swimming at around the age of six, in kindergarten, took it up as a safety skill which just developed into a hobby and something I love doing.

“My parents brought me into the pool to just learn how to swim, and Trisa Cheer, Fiji Swimming operations manager, brought me into swimming competitively.

“One swimmer that inspired me was Carl Probert, he is flawless in his technique and being a swimmer from Fiji and doing very well overseas, I want to be like him.

“For my future swimming, I would like to win medals individually.

“Last Pacific Games was fortunate to win two medals, through our teams relay and in the next one I would like to contribute by winning medals individually.”

From a family line of doctors, McCaig, however hopes to pursue his dreams of being a chemical engineer.

“I am looking towards chemical engineering,” he said.

“It is something new and I like challenging things and it is the passion I have for chemistry and I want to follow them.”

He is one of the elite swimmers in Fiji vying for an Olympic spot.

Feedback:  sereana.salalo@fijisun.com.fj