Guam swimmers Mineri Gomez and Jagger Stephens will be representing the island at this year's Olympic Games in Tokyo. Stephens and Gomez were able to train for 2 months in Thailand thanks to the GNOC and the Guam Swimming Federation.

Don San Agustin said, "Had they not stepped up and everything Jagger and Mineri would still be on Guam. But because the opportunity was there provided by GNOC an d support by the Guam Swim Federation. The ability to go to Thailand as we were talking earlier. Jagger had mentioned that there was a big time difference and I'm sure also Mineri would echo the same thing. It was a big chance for them and a great blessing to have the opportunity to be there and it was made available to them."

Miguel Alvarado was their coach in Thailand while the first time Olympians trained at the Sports and Health Resort in Phuket.

Stephens told KUAM Sports, "Being able to have this opportunity to go to Thailand it really worked out for us. The facility was fantastic and the coaches were even more fantastic. What I was saying was how they are FENA coaches. They are employed by FENA and if you know the swimming world then you know that FENA is kind of like the governing body of swimming. You knew that they were the real deal no matter what and it definitely showed."

Jagger will compete in the Men's 100-meter Freestyle while Mineri will be representing Guam in the Women's 100-meter Freestyle.

 

Gomez said, "In Thailand jumping from the ocean to the pool water was a big thing. At first I had a very hard time adjusting but the coaches in Thailand were amazing at their job and they were able to help us adjust to the schedule there and get on top of what we we're supposed to do. I think their support has been great and we were able to be where we are right now."

Team Guam and the FSM swimmers have been training along side one another. After leaving Thailand the two teams have been getting some quality time in the pool in the city of Miyama, Japan.

Stephens added, "We we're doing dry land work and lift sessions even beyond the pool. We had four in a week and what the stuff is really good for is number one, rounding out our strength in different areas. It also helps us really focus on certain muscle groups and muscle types. At least for a sprinter like myself, specific types of weight training can help with explosiveness. Just that focus of getting off a wall or the back end speed of being able to have that endurance."

This will be the biggest stage of his swimming career. Having swam for Brown University this is a new element of excitement and fear. One of Jagger's goals is to beat his best time of 51:50.

Jagger said, "It's just popping up in my head all the time and keeping me up at night. It's exciting in a lot of ways but man there's a lot of mental weight with it."

For Mineri it's the experience she will gain and chance to enjoy her first Olympic Games. "So my goal is to drop my time and obviously beating my personal best but at the same time I want to enjoy the experience. Since this is my first time I would definitely want to make the best out of it and just enjoy. I'm definitely feeling the pressure and I'm very nervous but at the same time I can't wait to jump in the pool and being able to compete in the Olympic Games," she said.

Stephens also added, "I'd like to personally thank and also on behalf of Mineri give a huge thank you to the Guam Swimming Federation as well as the Guam National Olympic Committee just for doing all of the logistical work that quite frankly I could not do. All we have to do is perform and they have to do so much more even beyond that. They get us to the place and all we have to do is get into the water. I's a huge thank you to them. I'd like to also personally thank St John's school for giving us the opportunity to use their pool. I realize that this was near the thick of Covid so it was a very kind gesture."

Gomez said, "I want to thank GNOC, GSF and Oceania for supporting Team Guam and allowing sending us to Thailand. They have a wonderful facility there and even have the opportunity to train under a FENA Coach and also to Miyama and Yanagawa City for hosting us and allowing us to swim and train at their city. I would like to also thank our parents, friends, coaches in Guam for always supporting us and bringing us to where we are at right now."