Savusavu teen Tolu ‘the Tadruku’ Young wins big at Washington State Swimming Championships

Savusavu teen Tolu ‘the Tadruku’ Young wins big at Washington State Swimming Championships

By Rashika Kumar
22/02/2022
[Image: Supplied]

Savusavu teen, Tolu ‘the Tadruku’ Young led Curtis High School to win their first Washington State 4A Championships in 30 years.

16 year old Tolu’s mother, Morika Hunter says her son has been training and competing in the US for over 6 months due to COVID and pool closures in Fiji.

She says Tolu took 1st place in the 50 metres freestyle, 2nd in the 100 metres freestyle and swam in two relay events where they were also placed 1st.

The proud mother says in just 9 months, Tolu has starred in Water Polo, earning selection into a Junior Olympic training squad, as well as smashing through some long held Fiji swimming records.

Hunter further says Tolu’s latest times from the USA State Championship meet puts him squarely in the running for selection to the Fijian national team, as they prepare for the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. She says his official time in the 50 metres freestyle is 20.46 seconds which is the 4th fastest time in Washington State history while his 100 metres freestyle time of 45.14 seconds is the 7th fastest.

Hunter says Tolu’s times, when adjusted from yards to metres, breaks Fiji’s swimming records. Speaking through his mother, Tolu says when he was young, his cousins and family would take him out to the island close to home and get Tadruku which is a type of sea snail, which he really enjoyed.

He says one day, the family was together watching a documentary about Olympic skier Eddie the Eagle, and his family, quickly concluded that his swim nickname would be ‘Tolu the Tadruku’ and it just stuck.

Tolu will be seen swimming in the TYR Pro Series event in San Antonio, Texas.

The event is regularly used by the US Olympians as a qualifying event to the FINA World Championships.

FNRL
FEATURE NEWS
Malimali and Fotofili sacked
Another twist in the aftermath of the Commission of Inquiry report into the appointment of Barbara Malimali as FICAC Commissioner today as Prime Minis...
4 hours ago
LATEST NEWS
Brent Hill resigns as Tourism Fiji CEO
Tourism Fiji CEO Brent Hill will be stepping down from his role, and returning permanently to Australia with his growing family. Hill will ...
5 hours ago

Magistrate to decide on Monday on High Court transfer for Bainimarama and Qiliho’s case
The ruling on whether the case involving former Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama and former Police Commissioner Sitiveni Qiliho will be transferred ...
5 hours ago

Man drowns after being swept by strong currents at Western resort
A Fijian man has lost his life while swimming at a popular resort in the Western Division over the weekend. Police say the man was swimming with ...
6 hours ago

UniFiji and Dialogue Fiji support single national constituency
Dialogue Fiji and the University of Fiji have shown their support towards the single national constituency by giving their joint submission during ...
6 hours ago

Ministry of Environment leads clean up along Nukubuco sandbank and Suva coastline
In an effort to keep the environment clean, the Ministry of Environment took to the Nukubuco sandbank and the Suva coastline in the early hours of ...
7 hours ago



fijivillage Straight Talk with Vijay Narayan
Latest Videos

Stay tuned for the latest news on our radio stations

CFL radio frequencies
IN DEPTH
Barbara Malimali suspension and dismissal of AG Graham Leung
Barbara Malimali has been suspended with immediate effect as Commissioner of FICAC pending investigation by the Fiji Police Force of allegations ...
2 days ago

Viliame Naupoto on fijivillage Straight Talk With Vijay Narayan
The candid interview focused on a wide range of issues, including work at the Immigration Department, the shortage of passports, permits, and migrant ...
4 days ago

Asta Sonner and Ratu Inoke on fijivillage Straight Talk With Vijay Narayan
The show focuses on Ratu Inoke Drauna who is the founder of Aruka Fiji - an organization that is self funded to look after the struggling people on ...
4 days ago

TOP