Tara Murray
Sunshine College student Alan Uhi has been mixing it with the world’s best athletes at the Olympics.
The rising swimming star is one of four Tongan athletes competing at the Games. He was one of his country’s two flag bearers at the opening ceremony despite it being just his first Games.
School assistant principal Jodie Parsons said the whole school was getting behind the year 12 student.
“It is exciting,” she said. “He’s here as an international athlete and all the teachers and students are really thrilled for him.
“He works so hard in the mornings before school as well as being a year 12 student, it’s a huge effort on his behalf.”
Uhi was born in Tonga and came to Australia at the start of 2020.
Parsons said the 18-year-old sort of keeps his swimming achievements to himself.
He won several medals at the Oceania games last year while has competed at the World Championships.
“He went to swim at an international competition last year and everyone started thinking he was a good swimmer.
“He goes under the radar and doesn’t spruik himself. We all got excited and he thinks it’s not that big a deal.
“Everyone is so proud of him.”
Parsons said Uhi is the third person connected with the school to make an Olympics team, with the other two were back in 1964.
William Earle ran in the men’s 100 metres and the 4 x 100 metre relay and Michael Ryan competed in the men’s 400 hurdles.
Uhi swam the heats of the 100 metres backstroke on Sunday night, Australian time.
He swam in the first heat, finishing in sixth spot with a time of 1:00.62. He finished in 46th place.
Parsons said they were looking at replaying his race at school the following day and celebrating his achievements.
She said not just the school but the whole community was getting behind him.
She said Uhi wasn’t someone that seemed to get nervous.
“He is the calmest kid I have met to be honest,” she said.
“He is so happy to be there and participating at the Games. He didn’t think it would happen to him.”
Elsewhere on the opening two days, South Sudan won its first ever Olympic basketball game.
The side beat Puerto Rico on Sunday night, Australian time, 90-79.
Keilor Thunder’s Kuany Kuany didn’t take to the court.
The Australian Boomers got off to the perfect start with a win against Spain on night one.
The Boomers led for much of the night and were able to fight back after Spain took the lead in the third quarter. It would be a 92-80 win for the Boomers. Josh Giddy scored 17 points and had eight rebounds. Dante Exum didn’t play as he recovers from a dislocated finger.
He is expected to be back for the Boomers third game.
