Rising Kelera Mudunasoko is our next swimming star.

Hailing from Levuka Village in Lakeba, Lau, she has been smashing records in the Long Course Age Group nationals at the Damodar Aquatic Centre in Suva yesterday.

She shares maternal links to Volivoli Village, Nadroga.

The Swami Vivekananda College Year 10 student broke Moana Wind’s record in the 100metres and 200m breaststroke. In 2016, Wind set a record time 1:16.83 in the 100m breastroke and 2:53.40 in the 200m in the 13-14 year age group and 1:16.83 in the female open 100m breastroke.

Mudunasoko, who will soon be turning 15, broke all three records with a record times of 1:15.94, 2:46.32 and 1:16.46 respectively on April 8.

But yesterday, she broke all those records set two weeks ago and clocked a time of 1:15.34 to take out the 100m breastroke.

She hopes to represent Fiji in next year’s Pacific Games in Honiara, Solomon Islands. However, the Birmingham Commonwealth Games could possibly be her first international outing.

“For this age group I want a personal best in the 100m breast, which I did. I tried my PB (personnal best) in the 200, but I did not,” Mudunasoko said.

“For long term, I want to swim in the Pacific Games in Solomon Islands and for the Commonwealth; I will try and do my best.”

Joining the Barracuda Swimming Club about four years ago is something she has not regretted. She hopes to be the first from her family to represent Fiji in swimming.

“I want to thank my coach Rosemary Rova for training me and pushing me to do my personal best.

“I started swimming when I was 12, at Namaka Public School because I just wanted to compete with my cousin Anaseini Koroivakasuka in the schools nationals.

She made me swim. Almost four years, when I first started I was very slow. Then I started progressing and I’m so proud of myself for where I am now.”
Barracuda Club swimmers are coached by Rova, who is also the mother of elite swimmers and sisters, Cheyenne and Rosemarie.

“For me to just develop a swimmer and get them to swim to the best of their ability is a goal for me and that’s what I like doing,” Rova said.

“For Kelera, she’s shy, she hardly speaks but she does the talking in the pool and the results speak for itself.

“She trains, listens well and if she continues that way, she will make it all the way.”

Asked on the possibility of Mudunasoko getting a Commonwealth Games spot, Rova said, she is young and will be turning 15 soon.

“But otherwise no one is too old or too young to take part and I think the exposure will be good for her,” she added.
Other two records broken on Day One was by Eden Waqainabete of Dolphins who broke a five-year female 13-14, 200m record with a time of 2:37.64. She also clocked 1:10.90 to break the two-year record for the 100m backstroke.

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