Paul Elaisa (born 21 January 1994), is a Fijian swimmer who has represented Fiji on numerous occasions, with the highlight of his career at the
2012 London Olympic Games
The 2012 Summer Olympics (officially the Games of the XXX Olympiad and also known as London 2012) was an international multi-sport event held from 27 July to 12 August 2012 in London, England, United Kingdom. The first event, the ...
.
BBC Profile
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Career
Elaisa has also represented Fiji on separate occasions throughout his professional career, which began at the 2008 Oceania Games, in New Zealand. Elaisa moved onto the world stage at 2009
File:2009 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: The vertical stabilizer of Air France Flight 447 is pulled out from the Atlantic Ocean; Barack Obama becomes the first African American to become President of the United States; 2009 Iran ...
, 2011 World Aquatics Championships
The 14th FINA World Championships () were held on 16–31 July 2011 in Shanghai, China at the Shanghai Oriental Sports Center. The 2011 World Championships featured five aquatics disciplines: swimming, water polo, diving, open water, and synchro ...
and in the 2011 Pacific Games
The 2011 Pacific Games (officially known as NC 2011) took place in Nouméa, New Caledonia, from August 27 to September 10, 2011. Nouméa was the 14th host of the Pacific Games. Upon closure of the registration for entries, "some 4,300 athletes" h ...
(where he won for bronze medals). Later on, Elaisa moved to the United States where he pursued a higher level of education, while actively being involved in the Sport of Swimming. At the 2012 London Olympics, he was placed 3rd in the heat and 47th overall, but did not advance to the semi-finals. Men's 100m freestyle
During his time competing at USA Collegiate level, Elaisa earned All-American in his Freshmen Year Elaisa, while he and the team (Iowa Lakes Community College
Iowa Lakes Community College is a public community college in Estherville, Iowa, with satellite campuses in Algona, Emmetsburg, Spirit Lake and Spencer, Iowa. It serves Iowa Community College District III, which encompasses an area roughly co ...
, NJCAA Division 1) claimed 2nd Place at the 2015 NJCAA Nationals Swimming Championships. The following season during his sophomore year, Elaisa took a "Redshirt" as it is a requirement needed when transferring college. During his Junior year at Lincoln College, Elaisa went onto earning himself All-American and claiming 2 school records. For his Senior year, Elaisa transferred to Lindenwood University
Lindenwood University is a private university in St. Charles, Missouri. Founded in 1827 by George Champlin Sibley and Mary Easton Sibley as The Lindenwood School for Girls, it is the second-oldest higher-education institution west of the Missis ...
(NAIA Division 1), where he and the team went on to defending the title at their Conference Championship Meet. Elaisa qualified for the 2018 NAIA National Swimming Championships and earning yet another All-American while also claiming the University (Lindenwood University) record.
Elaisa went on to represent Fiji at the 2015 Pacific Games
The 2015 Pacific Games, also known as Port Moresby 2015 or POM 2015, was held in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, from 4 to 18 July 2015. It was the fifteenth staging of the Pacific Games as well as the third to be hosted in Port Moresby.
More tha ...
, 2016 World Short Course Championships (but was unable to attend due to immigration technicalities), and the 2018 Commonwealth Games
The 2018 Commonwealth Games, officially known as the XXI Commonwealth Games and also known as Gold Coast 2018, was an international multi-sport event for members of the Commonwealth that were held on the Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia, bet ...
where he competed in three events.
References
Fijian male swimmers
1984 births
Olympic swimmers for Fiji
Swimmers at the 2012 Summer Olympics
Living people
Fijian people of Rotuman descent
Sportspeople from Suva
Commonwealth Games competitors for Fiji
Swimmers at the 2018 Commonwealth Games
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