Samoan swimmer, Brandon Schuster, has been named the Oceania region’s Best Male athlete.

The announcement was made during the Association of National Olympic Committees (A.N.O.C.) 2019 Awards held at the Katara Hall, Doha, Qatar.

Papua New Guinea’s Toea Wisil, was named Oceania's Best Female athlete.

Schuster represented Samoa at the 2016 Rio Olympics.

He holds various Samoan national swimming records and played a key part in Team Samoa's success during the recent Pacific Games where he won two gold medals.

“Being a member of the most successful Samoan swimming team at the Pacific Games is one of the crowning achievements of my career,” Schuster is quoted as saying in a statement issued by the Oceania National Olympic Committee (O.N.O.C.).

“For me to contribute five medals while the games were hosted in my home country makes it that much more special

“I would like to thank A.N.O.C. for gifting me the Best Male Athlete of the Pacific Games award, an honor that goes beyond me and is for the thousands of people from all over the country.”

Toea Wisil, dubbed the Pacific sprint queen is a former Olympian who completed an historic Triple Gold in 2019 Pacific Games in the 100M, 200M, and 400M, following Noumea 2011 and Port Moresby 2015.

“There’s a sense of overwhelming pride to be recognised as the Best Female Athlete of the Pacific Games. I competed in my first Pacific Games in 2007, and to still represent Papua New Guinea and win at a high-level 12 years later is a privilege,” she said.

 “I would like to thank A.N.O.C. for this award, and for the bringing together so many inspiring people.”

According to a press statement, the A.N.O.C. Awards were created in order to recognise the achievements of the National Olympic Committees and their athletes as well as distinguished members of the Olympic Family. 

The awards presented each year vary depending on the sporting events that have taken place that year and are decided by the A.N.O.C. jury.

Held each year, the event is an opportunity for the world’s N.O.Cs come together in a relaxed and entertaining environment and enjoy an evening celebrating sport.

Representatives from 204 N.O.Cs and stakeholders throughout the Olympic Movement attended the event, which was truly a global celebration of sport.