Fresh from a record-breaking performance at the 2025 Pacific Mini Games in Palau, Samuela Yalimaiwai is one of four swimmers who will represent Fiji at the 2025 World Aquatics Championships in Singapore later this month.
The 22-year-old swimmer will be joined by David Tolu Young, Marseleima Moss and Anahira McCutcheon.
Sharon Smith will travel with the team as head coach and manager.
“All four swimmers will race in two events each,” Smith said in an interview with this newspaper.
“Our preparations have gone really well, and the team is ready to give it everything in Singapore.”
Although the swimmers had already qualified earlier in the year, the recent competition in Palau gave them a timely confidence boost.
Yalimaiwai made headlines by winning Team Fiji’s first gold medal of the Mini Games and breaking the national record in the 50-metre breaststroke.
He finished with two golds and a silver in the men’s 4×100-metre medley relay.
David Tolu Young had an equally strong campaign, winning gold in the 50-metre freestyle and 4×50-metre mixed freestyle relay.
He also claimed six silver medals, including the 50-metre breaststroke, 50-metre butterfly, and three relay events.
Young had earlier qualified for the world meet at the Australian trials with a time of 22.15 seconds in the 50-metre freestyle, a mark that would have placed him fifth in Australia, first in New Zealand, eighth in the USA and third in Canada.
Moss also brought home three silver medals in the 800-metre and 1500-metre freestyle and the women’s 4×100-metre medley relay.
Meanwhile the team will depart on July 24 for the world championships, which will run from July 27 to August 3.
