Ōtaki's Kokoro Frost represents Samoa at Commonwealth Games

Kokoro Frost at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games.

Ōtaki Titans swimmer Kokoro Frost has made it to the Commonwealth Games.

Competing for Samoa, the Titan spoke to Kāpiti News from Birmingham the night before his Commonwealth Games debut.

After being inspired by Michael Phelps at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Kokoro started swimming and began racing at a national level in New Zealand in 2013, being a top 10 age group swimmer ever since.

"I competed at the junior national level from 2013 to 2015, national age group level from 2015 to present and national open level from 2016 to present."

Kokoro Frost, second left, with members of the Samoan swimming and athletics teams.

Kokoro holds multiple age group and open national age group records for Samoa and first competed for the nation at the 2019 Pacific Games.

"I made finals twice in the 50m backstroke (4th) and 100m backstroke (6th) and was also part of the 4x100m medley relay (5th).

"I'm representing Samoa because it is my opportunity to represent my family, my village and my country," Kokoro said.

"The Samoan team, but in particular, the Samoan swimming team are like family to me.

"I'm pretty lucky to be here with them."

Having joined the Samoan team for the Pacific Games in 2019, Kokoro has been reunited with his teammates Lushavel Stickland, based in Australia, and Brandon Schuster, based in the United States, again, and is competing for the first time alongside Olivia Borg, also based in Australia.

Kokoro is coached by his mother, Segua Frost, at the Ōtaki Titans, his boyhood club, and Jon Winter from the Raumati Raptors.

In Birmingham, Kokokoro is competing in the 50m and 100m butterfly, 50m and 100m backstroke, the 4x100 mixed medley relay and the 4x100m mixed free relay.

The training pool is located a five-minute bus ride from the games village and the competition pool is about 20 minutes away.

"There are a couple of games villages here in Birmingham and Samoa Swimming is based at the University of Birmingham Campus along with countries such as New Zealand, Australia and South Africa.

"It's awesome to brush shoulders and meet all these athletes that you've grown up watching on television.

"It's also awesome to be with friends that I've grown up swimming with.

"The village is quite spacious with lovely facilities. We all get our own rooms and the food halls provide a great service.

"It's been awesome so far.

"These are beautiful venues and I can't wait to start racing in the main pool tomorrow [today NZT]."

Studying communications at Victoria University of Wellington, majoring in Intercultural Communications with a minor in Samoan Studies, Kokoro is hoping to continue in the sports sector or find a job in the cultural sector.

In his spare time he also enjoys content creation, posting regularly on his Instagram and YouTube channels.

"I would just like to say a big fa'amālō (thank you) to those that have helped me along the way.

"Family and friends, coaches and teachers - I wouldn't be in the place I am today without them."