By James Sablan
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Variety News Staff
WHILE Saipan continues to recover from the destruction left by Super Typhoon Sinlaku, the NMI National Swimming Team remains fueled by resilience and ambition as it competes in the 14th Oceania Swimming Championships, set for May 8–13 in Suva, Fiji, with hopes of returning with hardware against 161 swimmers from 18 participating countries.
Fielding one of its largest delegations to date, the NMI sent 15 elite athletes last Tuesday to compete against the region’s best. The roster features a powerhouse lineup of record holders including Sari Barman, Maria Guerrero, Maria Batallones, Mia Camacho, Nagi Tenorio, Nagisa Litulumar, Piper Raho, Michael Miller, Richard Zhou, Matthew Szefler, Justin Ma, Moshe Sikkel, Kouki Watanabe, Juhn Tenorio, and Isaiah Aleksenko, along with Federation President and Oceania Aquatics board member John Hirsh, Team Manager Yuko Kimura, and coaches Richard Sikkel and Hiro Kimura.
The road to Fiji has been anything but smooth. In the wake of Super Typhoon Sinlaku, the team faced a major setback when local practice pools became inaccessible. Demonstrating the mental toughness and resolve highlighted by head coach Richard Sikkel, the athletes transitioned their training to the ocean once the “all clear” was given.
“The team has had this competition on the radar for about a year. Since our last competition in Sydney, the swimmers have set their sights on training for this upcoming meet specifically,” Sikkel said in an interview with Variety.
Despite issues with training facilities and flight changes, there was a silver lining, as a longer-than-expected day-and-a-half layover in Japan allowed the Central Sports Swimming Institute to host the team in its dorms and provide access to a 25-meter pool for training, offering a much-needed boost.
The team was also granted the opportunity to train at the Tokyo Olympic pool before its final leg to Suva.
For a team that rarely gets the opportunity to train in a 50-meter long-course facility, the primary goal is a complete overhaul of the record books.
“First and foremost, I think all the swimmers are looking to reset their [personal best records] in their long-course events,” Sikkel continued. “Next, a lot of the swimmers have set their sights on NMI age-group and [local] records.”
The expectations are high, with the coaching staff anticipating several finals appearances and podium finishes. Beyond individual accolades, there is also excitement surrounding the relay events, which will serve as a measure of NMI’s progress against other Oceania nations and jurisdictions.
Despite disrupted preparation, the team remains undeterred. After a two-day layover, the squad arrived in Suva in high spirits, motivated to represent the NMI.
“Training leading up to the meet has been less than ideal, but the swimmers are well prepared,” Sikkel noted. Practicing year-round, the team remains optimistic. “If anything, the swimmers are motivated to put up good results and display their mental toughness and resolve in the aftermath of Sinlaku,” he added.
The competition officially begins this week, with the first wave of results expected on May 9. As the NMI swimmers take to the blocks, they carry the pride of an island community still in recovery, proving that even the strongest storms cannot dampen their competitive fire.
“All athletes are in good spirits and excited to represent the NMI to the best of their ability,” Sikkel said.
James Sablan has been a sports reporter for Variety since 2013. He was a liberal arts student of Northern Marianas College and covers all local sports.
