Chloe Ameara, left, and Leo Lebot. Photo: Oceania Aquatics
Vanuatu teenagers Chloe Ameara and Leo Lebot started their World Aquatics Swimming Championships 2024 campaign in Budapest by recording personal best times and setting national records in their opening events.
Top swimmers from around the world, including Olympic winners and some others from the Pacific, are competing at the event.
Ameara, 15, finished with a time of 1:25:21 in the 100m women's backstroke, while Lebot clocked 29:29 in the men's 50m butterfly.
In her second event, the 100m individual medley, Ameara finished with a time of 1:25:47.
While both swimmers' times were well off the qualifying times to progress into the next rounds, the experience competing against the very best in the world is "already a success story, according to Oceania Aquatics.
"A pretty decent personal best, but I could have been a little faster," Ameara told Oceania Aquatics after her first race.
She acknowledged that she needed to "work on my start and underwater...but we've been working on my rotation and I think that went pretty well".
Lebot will compete in the men's 50m freestyle on Saturday to wrap-up his participation.
"I feel really good. I think I could have been faster on the end but I'm still really happy," he said after his first race.
Lebot wants to attend and compete in as many competitions as possible, and he already has the next event in mind.
"This competition has been amazing," he said.
"For Vanuatu, we do lots of regional competitions in the Pacific. We're looking to go to the Pacific Mini Games in Palau next year and try to get new PBs for Vanuatu and new national records," he was quoted as saying by Oceania Aquatics.
Both swimmers' advice to other Pacific Island swimmers is that "we may not be the best of the best out there but it's always really good to gain experience at meets and make lots of new friends."
Ahead of the World Championships, Vanuatu Aquatics Federation president Nancy Miyake thanked World Aquatics and Vanuatu Association of Sports and National Olympic Committee to make it possible for the country to take part at the event.
Meanwhile, Tongan swimmer Finau 'Ohuafi is also celebrating after setting a new national record in the 100m freestyle.
TASANOC said 'Ohuafi touched the wall to break his previous national record, setting a new time of 52:16 seconds.
'Ohuafi is part of the three-member Team Tonga at the event.