Guam will be represented by a compact three-swimmer squad at the 2026 Oceania Swimming Championships, which moved into pool competition today at Suva’s Damodar City Aquatic Centre after yesterday’s 10km open-water event. Head coach Darrick Bollinger said the small team — two men and one woman — is focused on racing against the region’s best rather than chasing qualification marks.
“We’re just looking to swim fast,” Bollinger said, adding that the primary goal for his athletes is the experience of competing against strong regional opposition. “We’re not using this event to qualify for anything specific, but it’s a great opportunity for them to race against strong competition from other swimmers around the region. That’s really what we’re aiming for.”
The championships began with the marathon 10km open-water race on the first day and have shifted to the Damodar City Aquatic Centre for the pool programme. Warm-ups for today’s pool sessions are scheduled from 8:15am to 9:45am, with the first races set to start at 10:00am. Bollinger described the meet as a highly competitive gathering as “the best in the region converge for regional supremacy,” offering valuable exposure for developing international careers.
Preparation in Guam was hit by adverse weather just before the trip. A storm forced Bollinger’s squad out of the pool for about a week and a half in the lead-up to the championships, disrupting their training rhythm. “We faced some setbacks, including a storm that passed through the region just before the event, which kept us out of the pool for about a week and a half,” he said, noting the challenge the interruption posed.
Despite that disruption, Bollinger said the team managed to resume training and arrived in Suva feeling ready to compete. “But I think we’ll be okay. We’ve managed to get back into the pool, and the swimmers are feeling good right now, so we’re hopeful that it will be enough,” he said, expressing cautious optimism about their preparedness.
With limited numbers but clear objectives, Guam’s contingent will aim to capitalise on racing opportunities across the meet’s programme. The Oceania Championships assemble athletes from across the Pacific region and serve as both a competitive benchmark and development platform for smaller delegations like Guam’s, offering experience against higher-calibre opponents that can accelerate swimmer development even if podium finishes are unlikely.