Sereana Salalo/PACNEWS

The call for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games was the least of her expectations, but she seized the opportunity with both hands.

McCutcheon was one of two swimmers representing Fiji; she swam a time of 26.88 seconds in the Women’s 50m Freestyle event at Paris La Defense Arena.

Despite not qualifying for the semifinals, the youngest team member said it was a great achievement to qualify for the Olympics at 14 years old.

“It’s surprising, I was not expecting to come to the Olympics this year.

I was aiming for 2028, but I ended up coming anyway,” she said.

“It’s really cool to be 14 and be able to see the Olympics; everyone here is really looking after me nicely, it’s like a big family.

It’s something I would not have imagined,” she said.

While McCutcheon did not get a personal best time, she hopes to do better in the future after her Olympic experience.

She admitted that goals are achievable at any age if you consistently work hard.

"Training for the Olympics was a bit less intense, mainly focusing on one event.

It was quite a bad swim, but I’ll just keep going and hopefully get a personal best time soon,” McCutcheon said.

“If you have a dream, follow it; you will get there if you put in the hard work and effort. Go for what you want.

I’ll be working and working more, hoping to qualify at the 2028 Olympic Games.”

She is grateful for the support from her friends, family, and especially her parents, who traveled to Paris to watch her swim.