A Tongan team of four young swimmers will compete at the Apolima Strait Crossing, a 22.3km open water swim from Upolu Island to Savaii in Samoa on 11 April.

The team manager Vila Day said this is the longest ocean swim in the Southern Hemisphere.

Noelani Day (13) from Holonga, Finau ‘Ohuafi (16) from Popua, Andrew Emberson (20) from Pangaimotu Island and Penisimani Mohetau (21) from Kolomotu’a will become the first Tongan swimmers to swim in this distance as a team, and the youngest to compete at the event.

They will compete against teams from Samoa and New Zealand and international solo swimmers.

Read more: Tonga's young swimmers in Apolima Strait crossing