New Caledonia has been the dominant force in Pacific swimming for years. As a French territory, its swimmers benefit from French government funding to train and compete in Europe.

But Papua New Guinea's swimmers are in shape to take on the New Caledonians - and the world.

Brendon Telfer: This is the next generation of Papua New Guinea's swim stars. Here at the Boroko Swim Club in Port Moresby, national coach Liz Wells and her team have been moulding champions for years.

Liz Wells: It's water, kids love to play in water and Papua New Guinea is surrounded by water, rivers. Everywhere you go you see children playing in water, whether it's splashing with each other, it's racing each other to the end of the pool, it's just really having a good time.

Brendon Telfer: That enthusiasm helps P.N.G. convert challenges into opportunities. So Liz doesn't think her swimmers are disadvantaged, training in a 25 metre pool instead of the regulation 50.

Liz Wells: Oh it's easier to coach in a 25 metre pool, because you are able to watch all the children in a smaller area, They do very good turn practice. They love short course championships and they feel that they can swim faster in a 25 metre pool.

Brendon Telfer: And Papua New Guinea's young swimmers also have a home grown champion and role model, Ryan Pini, who won an incredible 8 gold medals at the 2007 South Pacific Games in Apia. Ryan went on to make the final of the 100 metres butterfly at the Beijing Olympic Games.

Liz Wells: He's a swimmer mentor, he talks to them, he can get down to their level and chat and motivate them at competitions.

Brendon Telfer: Does he inspire you?
Marcus Blake: Yeah I want to swim fly better.

Adam Ampa'oi: Ryan inspires me to train harder, and strive harder for my goals, and hopefully I'll get there one day.

Brendon Telfer: Are you going to get a gold medal at the Olympics one day?
Stamford Gore: If I can make it, that's for sure.

Brendon Telfer: As the hard work of training continues, from junior level up, P.N.G is clearly aiming to rival New Caledonia in its own pool when they clash at the next Pacific Games in Noumea in 2011.

Judith Meauri: Yes, they are very good, they train in France. They have better facilities than us.

Liz Wells: Hopefully we can beat them, but we don't look at the outcome, we look at the process and getting there. So if the children keep training, and we keep having good safe pools, then, yes, we will be there.