Koror, Palau - The pilot phase brought together athletes, swimmers and coaches from Fiji, Samoa, and Tuvalu for intensive training camp for ten days. Participants trained at world-class facilities including the Marguerite Aquatic Complex for swimming and Laguna Hills High School Stadium for athletics, receiving instruction from coaches who have guided numerous Olympians to success.

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For 18-year-old Patricia Verebasaga, Fiji's swimming representative, the experience proved transformative. "Training in LA, you know US swimming is something that I look up to, like all the swimmers there," Patricia reflected. "To be given the opportunity to go and train in LA, especially with one of the teams that had a lot of Olympians coming out of the club, it was a new atmosphere. It was really great to see what the training was like."

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The intensity and sophistication of the training regimen immediately distinguished itself from Patricia's home preparation. "It was very different to what I was used to back at home," she explained. "The sets that we did, the equipment that we used - one of the equipments that I used was the power towers, that was new to me. Using new equipment was very eye-opening and it helped me a lot."

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Perhaps most significantly, the rigorous training standards reignited Patricia's competitive passion at a crucial juncture in her career. "I've been wanting to quit ever since 2024 because of school, but after this training camp, it boosted my motivation to train more," she revealed. "The training that they did was really hard and tough. Back at home, it's not as tough, I'd say. Going to that camp motivated me to want to swim more."

The programme's effectiveness became evident during the Pacific Mini Games 2025 in Palau, where Patricia has achieved several personal bests and qualified for the finals. "This Mini Games has been the best performance I've ever had," she celebrated. "I did a few personal bests and I made finals. That was all I wanted to do."

The training environment provided Patricia with invaluable exposure to professional athletic standards, as she trained alongside other professional athletes, observing their preparation routines and professional approach to the sport. This immersion in an elite training culture proved as valuable as the technical instruction itself.

For aspiring Pacific athletes, Patricia offers enthusiastic endorsement of such development opportunities. "Just stay motivated," she advises. "That really motivated me to want to train more and be a better athlete. Also having fun with the journey - along the way, it's going to be hard, definitely training and schooling. But finding good motivation and having a balanced lifestyle." She strongly encourages participation in similar programmes: "Any opportunity to go overseas and train, go for it."

The programme addresses a critical development gap for many Island nations, which lack access to Olympic-standard facilities and coaching expertise.

Looking ahead, the programme targets athletes with clear pathways to the 2028 Olympics, including participants in upcoming competitions such as the 2026 Youth Olympic Games in Dakar and the 2027 Pacific Games in Tahiti.

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For more information about the 2025 Pacific Mini Games, visit;