FIJI will host the XIV Oceania Swimming Championships from 8 to 13 May 2026 at the Damodar City Aquatic Centre in Suva.
The event, organised by Fiji Swimming with support from the Fiji National Sports Commission, brings together teams from across the region and serves as a key preparation milestone for Team Fiji athletes targeting the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and the 2026 Youth Olympic Games in Dakar.
Invitations have been extended to 16 Oceania nations, with eight countries already confirmed.
For Fiji Association of Sports and National Olympic Committee (FASANOC), the timing of this championship matters. With Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games opening on 23 July and the Youth Olympic Games in Dakar, Senegal from October 31 to November 13, the Oceania Championships offer Fiji’s swimmers a competitive long-course environment to chase qualifying standards and sharpen their preparation.
Swimming is a core sport on the Glasgow program, and with rugby sevens absent from these Games for the first time, individual athletes across all sports carry greater responsibility to represent Fiji on the podium.
Three swimmers stand out in Team Fiji’s preparation going into the championships with the intention of securing qualification for the upcoming Games.
Anahira McCutcheon, 16, has had a strong start to 2026.
At the Australian Age Group Nationals, she won gold in the 50 metres butterfly (27.10 seconds), silver in the 50 metres freestyle (25.49 seconds), and silver in the 100 metres freestyle (56.05 seconds), setting four Fiji age group records and four Open National records in the process. McCutcheon first represented Fiji at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at the age of 14, making her the youngest member of Team Fiji at those Games.
With the Youth Olympic Games in Dakar on the horizon, she is one of Fiji’s most compelling prospects for qualification and a strong performer to watch at home in Suva.
David “Tolu” Young also brings Olympic experience to the pool, having competed at Paris 2024 in the men’s 50 metres Freestyle after achieving the highest World Aquatics point score in his event.
He lines up at the Oceania Championships as a more seasoned competitor, and alongside McCutcheon, forms the core of Team Fiji’s sprint programme heading into Glasgow.
Grace Khelan, 14, arrives at the Oceania Championships on the back of a remarkable outing in New Zealand.
Competing at the New Zealand Age Group Swimming Championships in Hastings, she claimed three gold medals in the 50 metres freestyle, 100 metres freestyle, and 50 metres butterfly, having also won three gold medals at her first international meet in Dunedin the month prior.
Fiji Aquatics Performance coach Sharon Smith noted that Khelan broke age-group records and secured multiple qualifying times for the Oceania Championships in the process.
Swimming is a core sport on the Glasgow programme, and with rugby sevens absent from these Games for the first time, individual athletes across all sports carry greater responsibility to represent Fiji on the podium.
On the sidelines, FASANOC will support a sustainability initiative at the venue, encouraging athletes and spectators to use designated collection points for empty PET bottles and aluminium cans.
Containers will be directed to the Suva City Council-led Return & Earn Centre, with proceeds supporting the event. Launched in January 2026, the Return & Earn program values each eligible container at five cents.
FASANOC and Team Fiji wishes all athletes the very best at the upcoming Oceania Swimming Championships.
