FOR 14-year-old Grace Elizabeth Kehlan, the dream of one day swimming for Fiji at the Olympic Games has always been bigger than the challenges standing in her way.
The Year 9 student of Jai Narayan College has been swimming for four years and is a member of the Orca Swim Club.
Her mother, Sereana Heritage, described a sponsorship partnership with FMF as a blessing for the family, particularly given the financial demands of competitive swimming.
She said Grace had missed a major competition earlier this year because of funding constraints, highlighting the challenges families face in supporting young athletes.
“It’s not easy. It’s not cheap. It’s an expensive sport,” Heritage said.
She said the sponsorship would help cover some of the costs associated with Grace’s development, including travel and sporting equipment.
Heritage said Grace’s dream of representing Fiji at the Olympics had been with her from a young age.
“If you go back to the media, you will see her dream from when she was young is to represent her country in the Olympics,” she said.
Grace had her first Oceania outing earlier this year and was also part of a relay team that broke an Australian record.
Swimming remains Grace’s main sport, while paddling is part of her cross-training. She is also involved with the Fiji outrigger canoe and USP Islanders Club.
Heritage credited Grace’s club, coaches and supporters for helping her develop, and said the FMF sponsorship provided further encouragement.
She also urged parents to be patient and support their children’s talents.
“Everybody has their talents. Everybody will thrive in the academic front, but I am sure they should try other sporting activities,” she said.
With three years of support now secured, Grace can focus on the pool and continue working towards the biggest goal of her young sporting career, representing Fiji at the Olympic Games.
