Team Solomon Islands for the swimming Championship has settled in Port Moresby following their departure on Thursday.
The team of nine swimmers and four officials are the first to arrive in the host city for the 12th Oceania Swimming Championships.
The event will kick off in Port Moresby this week.
Head coach Stance Belo is happy to lead the first ever Solomon Islands swim team to participate in the Oceania Swimming Championships.
He said they are prepared to compete following a year-long preparation.
“We have come to the end of our preparation and are happy to finally here to compete,” Belo said.
“It’s a privilege to lead the country’s first ever swim team to the Oceania Swimming Championship,” he added.
“This is a very important opportunity for us because we will experience the might of top swimming countries such as Australia and New Zealand.
“We are looking to get experience and exposure from this competition.”
Belo said the team will also compete in the open water competition for the first time.
“This will be our first time to take part in the open water and we hope to do our best in that as well as in the pool,” Belo told the PNG newspaper, The National Newspaper.
Solomon Islands Swimming Federation (SISF) vice-president Nihal Senevivatne said since they settled in, they feel at home and are looking forward for the competition.
He revealed three swimmers will also compete in the Olympic Games qualifier.
New Zealand, Australia, PNG, Samoa, Guam, and Vanuatu are other countries that will participate in the Championship.
By CARLOS ARUAFU
