PAPUA New Guinea’s emerging swimmers Thomas Chen and Jhnayali Tokome-Garap have set new personal bests following the duo’s participation at the 2024 World Aquatics Championship in Budapest, Hungary.

Competing in the 50m butterfly meet Tokome-Garap swam 28.95 seconds in the Women’s 50m butterfly while Chen clocked 25:32 seconds in the Men’s 50m butterfly event.

Tokome-Garap’s time is a new PNG 16-year-old Age and Open Record, she also went on to compete in the 50m freestyle swimming a personal best time and clocked a new record for the PNG Age (16yo) record with a 26:96 seconds.

“Going into the pool, I could feel my heart pounding; I was really nervous,” she admitted. “But as soon as I dove in, I thought, ‘let’s get this done,’ and I came out with a PB, so I’m really happy with that.”

Achieving such a milestone is a testament to her hard work and talent, but Tokome-Garap hinted there was something more—a gut feeling that today would be special. “I could sense something was going to come, and I was really hoping it would be that. It’s pretty big because it’s a Worlds, so I am really happy.”

What makes her performance even more remarkable is that the 50m butterfly isn’t her main discipline. Her focus is now on her upcoming swim in the 50m freestyle on December 14, an event she considers her forte.

“With the 50m free, it’s kind of my main event, so I need to be in the right mindset for it. It’s going to be a bit different in terms of how I prepare mentally this time,” Garap shared.

Comfort zones, however, have never been a defining feature of Tokome-Garap’s journey. Encouraged by her parents to try a variety of sports, she eventually discovered her passion for swimming.

 “When I was younger, my parents wanted me to try different sports, and swimming was one of them, “It was at a local school swimming club that she truly found her love for the sport “There was a club at my school, and I kept going back, training and swimming. Now, here I am—a competitive swimmer!”

Meanwhile Chen went on to compete in the 50m breaststroke event and clocked a new PB and PNG National record of 29.14 seconds.

“I think that was pretty good. Coming into the preparation for this meet, everything felt great, and I felt great. That race just now [50m butterfly] was a PB of 25:32,” he shared.

Grateful for the support that led him to this moment, Chen added, “I’m pretty blessed to be here today and for all the coaches and people who helped me get here.” His words are a prime example of the Pacific island spirit of gratitude and resilience.

Reflecting on his experience of competing in a 25m pool, Chen shared his thoughts with a laugh “You blink, and you’re at the wall… It went by so quick.”

 He explained his mindset leading up to the race “For me, it’s about going through the pre-race routines, making it feel like I’ve done this meet before, so I can replicate it.”

This insight highlights Chen’s focused approach and appreciation for every practice and competition, no matter the scale.