Cook Islands swimmers achieved personal bests (PBs) and broke Cook Islands national records at the FINA (Fédération Internationale de Natation) World Swimming Championships in Melbourne, Australia.

More than 1000 athletes from over 180 countries attended the meet for six days of world-class swimming action which was held at the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre from December 13-18.

Cook Islands Aquatics Federation (CIAF) president Romani Katoa is extremely pleased at the performance of swimmers Kirsten Fisher Marsters, Wesley Roberts and Lanihei Connolly.

“Our athletes all had great performances they achieved their personal bests, broke our national records, and enjoyed the World Championship experience.

“Our youngest swimmer Lanihei performed very well and she felt she could have gone faster,” said Katoa.

The Cook Islands delegation were also happy to meet up with other Oceania swimmers in Australia - which is a lot closer to home, Katoa added.

Results of the Cook Islands aquatics races at the World Championships: Kirsten Fisher Marsters 200 Individual Medley, 2:28.89. Place 34th overall; 548 FINA points, and a Cook Islands Record – setting a Cook Islands Record of 31.16 for the 50 Fly on the way through; Wesley Roberts 100 Freestyle, 49.59; Place 47th overall; 739 FINA points, and a Cook Islands Record – setting a Cook Islands Record of 23.51 on the way through; Lanihei Connolly 100 Breaststroke, 1:07.66; Placing 34th; 782 FINA points and a Cook Islands Record – setting a Cook Islands Record of 31.79 on the way through; Kirsten Fisher Marsters 100 Individual Medley, Placing 26th; 589 FINA points, and a Cook Islands Record; Wesley Roberts 400 Free, 3:50.03 just half a second over his own 400 Free Record, 26th Place and 785 FINA points.

On Monday last week FINA, the international swimming governing body, voted to rebrand itself as World Aquatics after 114 years, acknowledging that most people had no idea what its name stood for.

The move was meant to symbolise inclusivity for all aquatic disciplines, not just swimming, said FINA.

“These days, swimmers are only one, important, part of our FINA family. We need a name that reflects the whole FINA family,” FINA president Husain Al-Musallam said after an extraordinary general congress in Melbourne. The new World Aquatics identity will be rolled out at the first events of 2023.