Tasi Limtiaco reflects on FSM swimming, Paris Olympics, mental health
Tasi Limtiaco reflects on FSM swimming, Paris Olympics, mental health
‘Never set a limit on yourself,’ the two-time Olympian urges
Tasi Limtiaco has worked hard to push the limits of what he can do in the water. That drive led him to a record-breaking, storied career that culminated in competing on the world’s biggest stage this year: the Paris Olympics.
In an Instagram post on Aug. 7, Tasi announced that the Paris Games would be his last time competing. “The Paris Olympics have come to an end and at long last so has my swimming career,” his caption read.
In the sentimental post, Tasi added, “I hope I have left a positive impact on swimming in the Pacific community. My goal was to take our level of swimming to a higher level and inspire the younger swimmers to dream big.”
There’s little doubt that Tasi achieved just that – and more.
Tasi, who was born on an island in Polowat in Chuuk, is Chuukese and CHamoru. The 30-year-old has been swimming since he was 6. An island boy whose name is the CHamoru word for “ocean,” perhaps he was always fated for the water.
Reflecting on his 24 years as a swimmer, Tasi was grateful for all of the support from his home islands.
“I just wanted to thank all the family from Polowat for your support. I also want to thank my dad, Rob Limtiaco, for starting me on my swimming journey. If he hadn't taken me down to the pool that day I would never be where I am today,” Tasi told The Husk. “Also for all the family on Guam; I am not only Micronesian but I'm also half CHamoru, and it's amazing to represent both sides of my heritage.”
It's amazing to represent both sides of my heritage.
The road to the 2024 Olympics for Tasi was not an easy one. Having the kind of determination that gets an athlete into a position to compete in the Olympics is, at times, a double-edged sword. That type of discipline requires sacrifice.
“One of the biggest struggles I overcame was definitely finding motivation for why I wanted to continue swimming after Tokyo,” Tasi said, referring to the Tokyo Olympics. “You definitely feel like you miss out on a lot in life constantly training, but I put my head down and did it.”
In the end, it paid off.
“Paris was so worth the extra work,” he said.
There were countless highlights from the Games. Only so many people can say they competed in the City of Love as the whole world watched. The 19 days of the Paris Games gave the world something to come together for, something to get behind collectively – and for Tasi to be part of that is unparalleled.
“One of the biggest highlights of Paris was definitely bearing the flag during the opening ceremony,” Tasi recalled. “Riding on the boat and seeing all these people cheer for us even in the rain was an amazing experience.”
Over the years, Tasi has built a career of remarkable experiences.
Last year at the Pacific Games, Tasi glided to three gold medals in the men’s 200-meter breaststroke, the 50-meter breaststroke, and the men’s 100 breaststroke, The Guam Daily Post reported. It was the first time the Federated States of Micronesia took home gold medals in the Pacific Games, and Tasi was elated to win for Micronesia. Tasi capped the Pac Games with a silver medal too.
In 2009, a then-15-year-old Tasi broke the Guam record for the 200-meter individual medley, surpassing the 1989 record, according to the Marianas Variety-Guam.
“Some of the records I've broken included the 200, 400 individual medley; 50, 100, 200 breaststroke; 50, 100 butterfly and a few of the relay records,” Tasi said. “I would say I'm definitely proud of the 100 breaststroke as well as the 200. I think I set a very high standard for those records and the amount of work put into those really stood out to me.”
On the importance of mental health
Athletes have logged countless hours improving their physical health, and in recent years, the world’s top athletes have called attention to their mental wellness too. Naomi Osaka’s withdrawal from the French Open in 2021 prompted a hefty discourse over mental health. Notably, Simone Biles shared facets of her mental wellness practices in interviews during the Paris Games. In the days after the Games, a number of Olympians shared their struggles with what’s been called the “post-Olympic blues.” Among the Olympians raising awareness about post-Olympic struggles was Tasi. In an Instagram post, he urged fellow Olympians to reach out to their family and friends. “Us as athletes, we’re very goal-driven people,” he said. “If you’re going through it, trust me you’re not alone. All of us, I think, are going through the same thing, but we’ve got to keep pushing.”
He told The Husk he thinks more could be done to help athletes after the Olympics.
“There is definitely a post-Olympic depression that goes around that needs to be addressed, and if we could somehow help out athletes through that phase it would help a lot,” he said.
‘Never set a limit on yourself’
As he leaves his competitive swimming career behind, there’s a lot to look forward to for Tasi.
Tasi continues to aim to make good on his promise to take swimming to the next level. He told The Husk he’s looking to stay involved in the sport and help Pacific athletes in any way he can. He currently coaches in California.
In his Aug. 7 Instagram post, he acknowledged the next generation of Micronesian swimmers and passed the torch. “It’s your turn,” he wrote.
He notes that there are a lot of up-and-coming swimmers from the Pacific islands. FSM’s Kestra Kihleng and Fiji’s Tolu Young are “two to keep an eye out for,” he added.
Just as he urged fellow Olympians to keep pushing, Tasi offered similar guidance to young athletes. To aspiring Micronesian swimmers, he advised them to “dream big and never set a limit on yourself – whatever goal you have, set it higher.”
Support Tasi
Find Tasi on Instagram, @tasi_limtiaco, and follow his journey.