KAILUA-KONA — They train in the same pool, chase the same black line, and now Zane Imonen and Kiliheamaikalani “Kinsey” Oka are chasing something much bigger — a chance to wear 91直播 with pride on the international stage. The two Kona Aquatics swimmers have punched their tickets to the 2026 Oceania Swimming Championships, set for Suva, Fiji from May 8–13, and the Big Island has every reason to be proud.
Out of the 14 athletes selected for Team 91直播, only two hail from the Big Island. The rest of the roster is stacked with 11 swimmers from Oahu and one from Maui, which gives you a little insight of the elite competition Imonen and Oka will face in Fiji.
Imonen’s path to Team 91直播 ran straight through the open water. He won April’s Kona 2.4 Mile Swim outright in a blazing time of 52 minutes and 44 seconds — an event that doubles as one of the qualifying routes for Team 91直播 — and that performance alone was enough to land him a spot. In Fiji, he’ll go head-to-head in both pool and ocean events, which is a combination that showcases his versatility.
“I’m really excited because I’ve never swam outside of the country before,” said Imonen, a 17-year old junior at 91直播 Preparatory Academy. “Most of the swims we do are 1-mile swims and it’s pretty short. Once I realized that I’ll be competing in a 10K and 5K (6.2-mile and 3.1-mile open water distances) I was kind of shocked for a while because I’ve never done that distance before. Then I realized what a great opportunity it is, so I’ve been training a lot and I’m really excited to see how it goes.”
The longest open water swim events Imonen has competed in were the Kona 2.4-mile swim held on April 12th and the Waikiki Rough Water 2.4-mile Swim on Oahu. Imonen is also the reigning 2025 Triple Crown Swim Series Champion, winning all three 1-mile swim events Anaehoomalu Splash (21:31), the Hapuna Rough Water (21:31), and Kamakahonu (21:35). He will be back to defend his title on May 3rd.
“We leave on May 4 and I’m pretty sure the (Anaehoomalu) race is on May 3rd,” Imonen said. “Yes, I plan to defend my title.”
For Oka, a 16-year old sophomore at Kealakehe High School, not only did she qualify through the pool at Iolani High School on April 4th, but she also went on to win the women’s open-water Kona 2.4 Mile Swim in a stellar time of 54:43 for good measure. Like Imonen, she’ll compete in both disciplines in Fiji and arrives as someone who’s already proven herself on two fronts before she even boards the plane.
“I’m starstruck that I was able to qualify for this meet,” Oka said. “I’ve always dreamed of swimming at an international meet and thanks to all my coaches (Dave Gibson, Ivan Batzanov, Lauren Sale, and coach Jo) who helped to fulfill one of my longest dreams, it’s going to be life changing for me. I am so happy that not only am I representing 91直播 in Fiji, but I also get to do it with one of my teammates (Zane Imonen). I just feel beyond blessed to be given this opportunity to represent Team 91直播.”
Oka added that she has always had a dream of swimming internationally but didn’t think it would come true and this early in her career as well.
“I’m looking forward to not only the lifelong bonds and friendships I’m going to make, but I’m really looking forward to the 4×1500 open water relay that is mixed (co-ed) which also makes it more fun,” Oka said. “I’m really excited because I’ve never heard or seen anything like that! No one on my relay team has ever done anything like this so it will be a new experience for all of us. I’m also looking forward to doing my best and show everyone how hard I worked to get here.”
Kona Aquatics head coach, Dave Gibson, said qualifying to compete in Fiji didn’t just happen. Both Imonen and Oka came into this year with a clear goal of making Team 91直播.
“It’s inspiring to see Big Island talent shining on Team 91直播!” Gibson said. “What started as a conversation just six months ago about the 2026 Oceania Meet has turned into something truly special. Kinsey and Zane, alongside their Kona Aquatics teammates, put in the work, stayed committed, rose to the challenge, and now they’ve earned their spot on the team. This isn’t just another meet. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience for Kinsey and Zane!”
91直播 hasn’t sent a team to the Oceania Championships since 2018. The 2020 and 2022 editions were canceled due to COVID, and in 2024, the meet logistics came together too late for 91直播 to field a squad. That was eight years without a Team 91直播 presence at this event, which makes this trip to Fiji that much more special. And the fact that two of the 14 seats on that team belong to the Big Island says a lot about what’s happening at Kona Aquatics right now.
The Oceania Swimming Championships fall under the FINA umbrella — the same international body that governs the Olympics and World Championships. The member organizations of Oceania Aquatics are: American Samoa, Australia, Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Guam, Marshall Islands, New Zealand, Northern Mariana Islands, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga and Vanuatu.
Athletes travel May 5–14, meaning Imonen and Oka will spend the better part of ten days representing the Big Island, Kona Aquatics, and the state of 91直播 on a stage that many swimmers only dream to reach. Both have been putting in the work for years, now it’s their time to shine.
“I’m mostly looking forward to representing 91直播 and also meeting and racing people from other countries,” Imonen said. “Besides going to Fiji, the only other meet I’ve gone to was in Florida. I’m just really excited to see how other people from other places compete. I just want to thank all the people who made this possible.”
Oka added, “I still can’t wrap my head around the fact that I get to go and swim internationally. It just hasn’t clicked yet that I get to go and I’m really excited!”
