Three gold medals down for Marist Brothers High School student and national rep Don Younger at the Day one of the 2025 Fiji Primary & Secondary Schools National Swimming Championship held in Suva’s Damodar City Aquatic Centre.
Younger, 18, showcased his dominance in the 50m breaststroke, 100m breaststroke, and 200 IM events, claiming victory for his school.
Originating from Rotuma, Younger emphasised the rigorous training regimen he undertook in preparation for the competition.
“Preparing for this competition, I have been training since last year because we have our international tournament coming up in Australia, but besides that the boys and I have been training through out the two weeks school break, we try and make two sessions one early in the morning and one in the afternoon,” said Younger.
Starting his swimming journey in class 5, he gradually worked his way up through club competitions, culminating in his first international experience at the Mini Games in form 4.
“I started swimming when I was in class 5, then I slowly build myself up, and got into the club competitions, my first ever international game when I was in form 4, the Mini games, the results were okay it was my first time overseas and first time competing, so it was great.
Younger’s primary goal for the championship was to set records, secure gold medals, and help Marist Brothers defend their championship title.
“In this competition my main aim is to break records and win all golds and also help my school Marist Brothers to remain the champions for this year again.”
The young swimmer’s dedication and commitment to excellence were evident both in his individual performance and his contribution to his school team’s success.
Looking forward, Younger is gearing up for the Pacific Mini Games later in the year, underscoring the ongoing nature of his training and preparation.
He expressed gratitude to his family, particularly his mother, for their unwavering support and encouragement in driving him to training sessions.
He will be also participating in this last single event today.
