Palau National Swimmers are in Doha (Qatar) preparing for the World Aquatics Championships. Representing Palau are Yuri Hosei, Galyah Mikel, Jion Hosei, and Travis Sakurai. This is the second world championship for the four as they join with 2,600 other athletes from 204 countries all focused on doing their best while competing for a berth to this summer’s Paris Olympics. The swimmers are supported by Head Coach Jimmy Jonas, Jr. and Assistant Coach Pasquana Flowers. Palau Aquatics President, Judy Otto, is also on hand in her role as an Oceania representative to the World Aquatics governing board.
Besides swimming, teams also compete in open water, artistic swimming, water polo, diving and high diving. And in addition to the open divisions, the World Aquatics Master’s Championship is also getting underway. The first event up was diving, an event where Taghi Askari of Iran won a gold medal. At 100 years of age and competing for the first time since winning silver and bronze at the 1951 Asian Games, Taghi demonstrates that aquatics is indeed a sport that lasts a lifetime.
World Aquatics has also confirmed that Singapore will host the 2025 World Championships while Beijing has won the rights to 2029 championships. For Oceania, teams meet Monday to make final plans for this year’s Oceania Aquatics Championships slated for Australia’s Gold Coast in April. This will be the last qualifying event for Oceania swimmers on the road to Paris.
Palau Aquatics Federation wishes our swimmers all the best for a great competition and thanks their families and supporters at home who are cheering them along the way.