Competitive Swimming in the Pacific Islands
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COMPETITIVE SWIMMING IN THE PACIFIC ISLANDS American Samoa, Cook Islands, Fiji, Guam, Kosrae, Republic of the Marshall Islands, New Caledonia, Norfolk Island, Northern Mariana Islands, Republic of Palau, Papua New Guinea, Pohnpei, Samoa and Tahiti. Facilities (2-29) Swimming Lessons (30-39) Aquatics Development & Clinics (40-50) Other Aquatic Activities & Open Water Swimming (51-72) Fundraising (73) Acknowledgements (74) 1 SAIPAN, NMI SAIPAN INTERCONTINENTAL HOTEL First home of the SAIPAN SWIM CLUB 1976 – 1987 Swim practice was held at the beach 2 when the hotel pool was too busy. SAIPAN, NMI Saipan Swim Club training at the Saipan Beach Intercontinental Hotel. Saipan Swim Club 1976 Weekday Swim Practice The kidney shaped hotel pool was used for practice from 1976-87. 3 SAIPAN, NMI The SAIPAN SWIM CLUB originally began training in the lagoon in Susupe in 1974 before it moved to the Saipan Beach Intercontinental Hotel pool, which they called home for the next 11 years. The kidney shaped pool was 22m at it’s longest point and often swimmers shared the pool with 4 Japanese tourists. SAIPAN, NMI 1990 MICRONESIAN GAMES The Saipan Swim Club gained access to the Kan Pacific Resort’s 50m pool from 1987 to the present, and hosted the Micro Games in 1990. 5 AGANA, GUAM AGANA POOL (50m x 8 lane competition/training pool) 6 AGANA, GUAM The Guam Swim League competition took place at the AGANA POOL and included five Guam teams and Saipan in the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s. 7 GUAM The SOUTHERN HIGH SCHOOL 50m pool was utilized for only one year before it was permanently damaged by a Super Typhoon. 8 GUAM 1999 SOUTH PACIFIC GAMES Opening Ceremony & Team March at the Southern High School Pool. 9 KOROR, PALAU This was Palau’s first pool. It is a tide pool at T-DOCK in Koror, and is completely dependent upon the tides. It was used in the 80’s and 90’s as Aquatics programs were getting started. 10 KOROR, PALAU T-DOCK TIDE POOL Swim Clinic & Swim Meet in 1989 in preparation for the 1990 Micronesian Games on Saipan. 11 ARAI, PALAU ARAI HOTEL POOL (25m) used for swim team training and lessons until 1998. Pictured here is former National Coach Bismark Brel of Belau. 12 MEYUNS, PALAU A fresh water 25m x 6 lane pool in MEYUNS Village, located adjacent to the lagoon, and built for the 1998 MICRONESIAN GAMES. 13 MEYUNS, PALAU 1998 MICRONESIAN GAMES Opening Ceremony in Meyuns Village. 14 ANGUAR, PALAU A dockside pool in 2003 on ANGUAR, an outer island of Palau. The lane lines were made out of cellophane. 15 SUVA, FIJI SUVA OLYMPIC POOL Site of the 1979 SOUTH PACIFIC GAMES. 16 SUVA, FIJI At the SUVA OLYMPIC POOL, 1979 SOUTH PACIFIC GAMES. From the second story, or “Grandstands”, when Starter Barry Rickards sounded the gun for the start of the final swim event, a clean, plucked chicken dropped out of the sky. 17 NOUMEA, NEW CALEDONIA OEN TORO POOL Site of the 1987 SOUTH PACIFIC GAMES. 18 PORT MORESBY, PAPUA NEW GUINEA 1991 SOUTH PACIFIC GAMES Sir Donald Cleland 50m competition pool at the Taurama Leisure Center. 19 APIA, SAMOA FALEATA AQUATIC CENTER A four pool complex in TUANAIMATO, built for the 2007 SOUTH PACIFIC GAMES. 20 APIA, SAMOA FALEATA AQUATIC CENTER Indoor 50m x 8 lane competition pool also hosted the 2010 Oceania Swimming Championships. 21 APIA, SAMOA The FALEATA AQUATIC CENTER’s four pool complex also included an indoor waterpolo and diving pool, an outdoor 50m pool (5 lanes) and a kids pool. 22 LELU VILLAGE, KOSRAE This 50m LELU CAUSEWAY POOL was built for the 1997 Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) Games. 23 PAGO PAGO, AMERICAN SAMOA UTULEI BEACH, training site for swimmers for the 2007 SOUTH PACIFIC GAMES. Swim lessons were also conducted here. 24 PAGO PAGO, AMERICAN SAMOA FAGA’ALU BEACH is used when waters are too rough or the tide is too low at Utulei Beach. 25 PAGO PAGO, AMERICAN SAMOA Swim team training for the APIA 2007 South Pacific Games at the PAGO YACHT CLUB BEACH. 26 KWAJALEIN ATOLL, MARSHALL ISLANDS This is the 25m MILLICAN FAMILY POOL used by the Kwajalein team. It is the only competitive pool in the Marshall Islands. The only other pool is a 33 1/3 yard saltwater pool for recreation. 27 PAPEETE, TAHITI Olympic Pool for competition, used during the 1995 South Pacific Games. 28 PAPEETE, TAHITI Olympic Pool for Swimming and Waterpolo competition at the 1995 South Pacific Games. 29 SWIMMING LESSONS A variety of pools, lagoons, rivers, and causeways are used for training and swimming lessons throughout the Pacific region. Very few islands have pools, and most of those were built after the 1990’s. “Learn To Swim” programs are the next major initiative in the islands. 30 LELU, KOSRAE Swim lessons by COACH KRESMA at LELU CAUSEWAY, 1996. 31 SAIPAN, NMI Swim lessons by the SAIPAN SWIM CLUB for the community at the ROYAL TAGA HOTEL in Susupe Village (1977). 32 SAIPAN, NMI The SAIPAN SWIM CLUB provided swim lessons for the community at the SAIPAN GRAND HOTEL from 1978 for several years. Lessons the first couple of years were free to give back to the community. 33 SAIPAN, NMI SWIM LESSONS at the KAN PACIFIC 50m POOL in MARPI, are now conducted annually by the SSC as a fundraiser (1997). 34 ROTA, NMI Swim lessons at the ROTA HOTEL on Rota, an island 70 miles from Saipan, conducted by SSC team members. 35 NORFOLK ISLAND Swim lessons & training conducted by NMI Coaches Bill and Jean Sakovich at the Fitzimmons home pool. 36 AMERICAN SAMOA Swim lessons in PAGO PAGO at a private home pool, lessons by coaches and older swimmers. 37 COOK ISLANDS The COOK ISLAND AQUATIC FEDERATION organizes swimming lessons and competitions. 38 RAROTONGA, COOK ISLANDS Rarotonga Primary Schools Championships April 16-17, 2013 Nukupura Sports Park The COOK ISLANDS also conduct open water races. 39 AQUATICS DEVELOPMENT Swim clinics for swimmers and coaches are provided by host countries NOC’s, sports teams/clubs, through FINA Development Grants, or by visiting “guests”. 40 SAIPAN, NMI USA OLYMPIC COACH DON GAMBRIL conducts a clinic in1994 at the Kan Pacific Pool. 41 SAIPAN, NMI SWIM CLINIC by 1992 OLYMPIAN and Gold Medalist MIKE BARROWMAN with SSC Coach Jean Sakovich in 1994. 42 SAIPAN, NMI Swimmers and parents listen and watch a TV presentation by OLYMPIAN MIKE BARROWMAN at the Kan Pacific Pool, 1994. 43 SAIPAN, NMI The Saipan Swim Club working out with MEDICINE BALLS with Trainer BOB WINKFIELD. 44 SAIPAN, NMI OLYMPIAN CHAD CARVIN conducts FINA DEVELOPMENT CLINICS at each of the main islands in MICRONESIA in 2002. He spoke to school students, Rotary Club members and conducted clinics for swim teams. 45 SAIPAN, NMI Swim Clinic by Australian coach and sports scientist WAYNE GOLDSMITH and his wife, HELEN MOORE of ‘MOREGOLD’ in 1997. They gave excellent presentations on technique, goal setting and nutrition. 46 SAIPAN, NMI Japanese Coaches brought their OSAKA YMCA Team for a training camp on Saipan in 2003. While there Coaches Chisato Furuzawa and Kana Kobayashi gave a clinic to SSC swimmers. 47 SAIPAN, NMI Saipan’s own ANNEKA SAKOVICH returns to former club (SSC) and gives a clinic to younger swimmers. Anneka is a former triathlete, swimmer and medalist in the SOUTH PACIFIC GAMES for Saipan. She currently works in Sports Management, coaches Open Water for triathletes and still competes in Southern California. 48 SAIPAN, NMI Former Saipan Swimmer, SPG medalist, Olympian, Pan American Games medalist and USA Team Member JON SAKOVICH, conducts clinics during his visits to several of the islands in Micronesia in 2005. Jon currently coaches club and high school at Bolles School in Jacksonville, Florida. 49 SAIPAN, NMI 1968 OLYMPIAN, WORLD RECORD HOLDER and HALL OF FAMER DEBBIE MEYER visited her brother on Saipan and gave a clinic to Saipan swimmers in 2003. 50 OTHER AQUATIC ACTIVITIES IN THE PACIFIC ISLANDS Water Polo Triathlon Training Camps by Visiting Teams Open Water Swimming Outrigger Canoe Paddling 51 SAIPAN, NMI The SAIPAN SWIM CLUB trains Waterpolo in the early season (2-3 months) at the Kan Pacific pool. Waterpolo is also played in New Caledonia, Tahiti, and Guam. The goals on Saipan were donated by the KALOS KAGATHOS FOUNDATION. 52 SAIPAN, NMI Water Polo Coach KEVIN SEELY, working with the SAIPAN SWIM CLUB at the Kan Pacific Pool. 53 KOSRAE WATERPOLO Goals donated by KALOS KAGATHOS FOUNDATION. [The Laguna Beach HS visited and conducted a clinic in 1997] 54 SAIPAN, NMI The Saipan Sportfest is held annually and includes the XTERRA Saipan Triathlon and the TAGAMAN Triathlon. 55 SAIPAN, NMI TRIATHLON COACH SCOTT PENNY (Australia), works with Saipan’s swimmers and triathletes on skills for Triathlon and Open Water Swimming at the Kan Pacific Pool in 2001. 56 SAIPAN, NMI The JAPAN NATIONAL TEAM conducted a training camp in 1991. Numerous Japanese teams continue to come to the island for training camps. Pictured here is OLYMPIAN DAICHI SUZUKI (in red USA t-shirt) at the Kan Pacific Pool. 57 SAIPAN, NMI FINA DEVELOPMENT OPEN WATER CLINIC conducted by TIMOR ABSALIAMOV from Russia in 1994. 58 SAIPAN, NMI SAIPAN OCEAN SWIM (1979 or 1980) finish at the SAIPAN BEACH INTERCONTINENTAL HOTEL in Garapan. This was one of the first big sporting events on the island with 200-300 participants. 59 SAIPAN, NMI The 18TH ANNUAL SAIPAN OCEAN SWIM held off the beach fronting the ROYAL TAGA BEACH Hotel in Susupe Village. An annual event since 1974. 60 SAIPAN, NMI 1999 SAIPAN OCEAN SWIM start, sponsored by HSBC.