On Friday last week, Samasoni Nimarota (pictured) was told by his coach he was swimming the 10km race on Monday at Aggie’s Resort.
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Not only that, he was also to double up the next day, Tuesday, to swim the 5km race from Saletele, Fagaloa Tai to Falefa.
Samasoni accepted the challenge.
In doing so, he did himself and his family proud, becoming the first Samoan to complete the Pacific Open Water Challenge double in two consecutive days.
His time for the 10km was 3hrs 50mins, and for the 5km race from Fagaloa he did 1hr 54mins 01 secs.
Samasoni was exhausted after the 10km but that did not stop him from turning up on Tuesday for the 5km swim.
This is a sign of a true Warrior spirit. It also points to the development of the sport of open water sea swimming in the last twelve months in Samoa.
The Pacific Open Water Challenge is for very serious long distance swimmers. The challenge is to complete a 10km and 5km swims in two days.
The Fagaloa Swim yesterday was one of the toughest swims so far. It was truly open water with heavy swells that made land sighting very difficult.
Twenty-six swimmers started the 5kms with four pulling out due to fatigue and rough seas.
The Pacific Open Water Challenge now done, the Samoa Swim Series officially starts on Thursday.
Samasoni and the long distance swimmers now have a rest day before the official Swim Series starts. The opening swim of the Series starts at Le Uaina Resort to finish at the Falls at Falefa.
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