Participating in the Olympic Games is a significant ambition not only for athletes but also for technical officials. For swimming coach and technical official Trisa Cheer-Dunn, this dream is now a reality as she has secured her place as a technical official for the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Trisa is a well-known presence at the national aquatic center, attending swimming competitions throughout the year, including club events, national championships, and regional contests. After over 15 years of dedication in her field, she has achieved her goal to officiate at the Olympics, serving as a turn judge and scheduling assignments in the video review room during the Games. She is also notable for being the first female swimming official from Fiji to take on this role at the Olympics, following in the footsteps of Dennis Miller, the first Fijian swimming technical official to participate in the Games.
Expressing her excitement, Trisa stated, “It feels unreal. Now I got to tick that off my list.” She emphasized the importance of encouraging more local technical officials, highlighting the constant learning and adaptation required in the role due to frequent rule changes in the sport. The behind-the-scenes logistics at the Olympics, such as how officials march in and out and their designated positions, often require meticulous attention to detail.
Trisa reflected on the moment she received her official invitation from World Aquatics in February, noting her prior involvement as a technical official at the 2023 Pacific Games held in Honiara, Solomon Islands.
Her passion for swimming extends beyond her official duties; she finds motivation in watching children progress from learning to swim to achieving podium placements. Trisa explained her initial entry into officiating stemmed from a desire to prevent disqualifications among her students due to a lack of knowledge about the rules. This inspired her to attend a technical official workshop to better coach her swimmers.
She emphasized that her priority during competitions is not to finish first but to avoid disqualification. “Once you don’t get disqualified, we can work on your speed and other things,” she explained.
Although her coaching activities have decreased, Trisa remains heavily involved in official responsibilities, including organizing competitions and managing event schedules. She hopes to see an increase in the number of technical officials for future events.
World Aquatics recently began recommending referees based on their qualifications, and Fiji has two other officials listed: Amelia Simpson as a referee and Susau Elaisa as a starter. Trisa expressed her desire to engage more young individuals in officiating, especially those who have a background as swimmers since they tend to have a better understanding of the sport’s intricacies.
Despite the challenges of the role, including confronting disqualifications, Trisa aims to motivate aspiring officials to persevere, stating, “My advice to upcoming and young officials is to never give up; it’s going to get tough but keep moving forward.”