The Cook Islands team made a significant splash on the second day of the World Aquatics Swimming Championships in Budapest, showcasing the talents of their promising athletes: Mia Laban, Lanihei Connolly, and Jacob Story.

Each swimmer brought their unique energy to the pool, contributing to an exhilarating day of races that highlighted their dedication and hard work.

Mia Laban kicked off the morning with an impressive performance in the women’s 100m freestyle, marking her return to the pool after a successful outing the previous day. With any first day nerves safely behind her, Laban focused on the moment. As she looked around at the substantial crowd, she remarked, “Everyone is cheering for everybody, and you can always hear your name being called out; it’s really nice.” This positive atmosphere undoubtedly fuelled her confidence going into the race.

With her coach’s motivating words, “Go Fast. Go Hard,” echoing in her mind, Laban leaped into the pool with a reaction time of 0.76 seconds. Her athletic prowess was evident as she recorded impressive lap times: 13.45 seconds for the first lap, followed by 14.51, 15.67, and finishing strongly with 15.38.

Laban’s efforts culminated in an exceptional finishing time of 59.01 seconds. Delighted with her performance, she expressed, “Really good. I dropped a whole second, so I’m really happy with that.” This strong start sets a positive tone for the day’s heats.

Shortly after, Lanihei Connolly took to the water for the women’s 100m breaststroke. As she prepared for her first race of the championship, she noted the excitement in the air, stating, “It’s pretty cool; it’s pretty exciting.” Connolly entered the pool with an impressive reaction time of 0.67 seconds, giving her a strong start.

She maintained this momentum throughout the race, clocking a powerful first lap of 14.66 seconds. Connolly continued her strong performance with lap times of 17.11, 17.53, and a final lap time of 18.06 seconds. Her hard work paid off as she achieved a personal best finish time of 1:07.36, shaving off valuable time from her previous record set two years ago.

Connolly reflected on the race, highlighting the “good learnings” she took from it. “I’ll learn from this one and take it into the next one,” she said, showcasing a professional and positive attitude that bodes well for her future events.

Rounding off the Cook Islands’ heats, Jacob Story stepped up to compete in the men’s 100m breaststroke. This was Story’s inaugural race in the competition. “I would always say the first swim is the hardest, so it’s good to get it out of the way. It felt pretty good.” Facing the massive and loud arena, Story recorded an impressive reaction time of 0.72 seconds.

Story also hit a personal best, finishing his race with a time of 1:02.11. His splits reflected a strong performance, with a quick start at 13.28 seconds and consistent times of 15.96, 16.14, and a finishing lap of 16.73. Following this great result, having only just finished this heat, Jacob expressed his commitment to preparing for his next event, noting the importance of “prepping the turns underwater alright for the 200.”

Overall, it was a fantastic second day for the Cook Islands team. Laban can now relax into the rest of the week while supporting her teammates. Connolly and Story are poised to compete in more heats as the championships progresses. The camaraderie among the team members is strong as they look forward to cheering each other on, embodying the spirit of the Cook Islands and their determination to excel on this world stage.  

– The Reporters Academy in Budapest