Hiro impressed with youngsters’ showing

Tsunami Swimming Center Saipan head coach Hiro Kimura is happy with how his swimmers performed in last weekend’s 2008 SSC Summer Classic, especially the first-timers.

The six rookies who literally plunged into competition Friday and Saturday were Daniel Camacho, Thea Minor, Angel De Jesus, Angel Tan, Edward Minami, and Hiroto Yanai.

Kimura said 12-year-olds Camacho and Minor have made big strides since joining Tsunami Saipan.

“Daniel joined Tsunami Saipan just a few months ago, but he improved greatly so I selected him to be a member of this meet,” he said.

Kimura also was impressed with the swims of Minor, who is not only a swimmer but also is a top junior tennis player of the CNMI.

“She started swimming to train her body for playing tennis last year. Though she belonged to another swimming club, she transferred to Tsunami Saipan because she wanted to swim competitively.”

While Minor has only been with Tsunami Saipan for 10 months, Kimura marveled at her finishing the 50m freestyle in 36.29 and the 50m butterfly in 43.79.

“Her improvement is not at all surprising because she does her best every time in practice. She showed everybody that practice really makes perfect.”

He also had good reviews for Tsunami Saipan’s two Angels—eight-year-old Angel Tan and nine-year-old Angel De Jesus.

“They swam very well in their first meet. De Jesus had started her swimming by taking part in the American Red Cross lessons in fall session 2007. After she got Level 3, she joined Tsunami Saipan. Angel Marie belonged to another swim club, but she transferred to Tsunami because she wanted more competitive swimming. Our Angels come to practice everyday this summer. Soon Tsunami Saipan’s Angels will stand on the top of CNMI swimming mountain of their age group,” said Kimura.

The Tsunami Saipan head coach also lauded the performances of eight-year-old Edward Minami and seven-year-old Hiroto Yanai.

“Although he is the youngest in the team for this meet, Hiroto swam the 50m freestyle in 53.15. Edward has also improved so much,” he said.

“Please remember these six rookies’ names. Next year I promise, some of them will be on the newspapers a lot,” added Kimura.

Aside from the rookie swimmers, Tsunami Saipan also entered veterans Rezne Wong, Shin and Kensuke Kimura, Marystar Welch, as well as young but experienced tankers Kaito Yanai, Daisuke Fitial, and Ashley and Salofi Welch in the meet.

“While Kensuke broke the longstanding age group record of Robert Jordan in the 1500m freestyle, Tsunami Saipan’s senior swimmers—Rezne Wong and Shin Kimura—still finished ahead of him in the event as well as the 200m individual medley,” he said.

He said eight-year-old Yanai, who goes to Garapan Elementary School, completed the 50m freestyle in 39.6, which was tad over the age group record.

“It was very regrettable his time could not break the CNMI record. However, the difference is just two seconds or less.”

On the other hand, coach Kimura said eight-year-old Fitial came close to reaching an A-time U.S. standard in the 100m freestyle when he touched the tile in the event in 1:30.14.

“Ashley and Salofi Welch also swam good races and improved their personal bests,” he said.

Last but not the least, coach Kimura said Welch swam multiple events in the weekend meet where she dutifully saw action in the 200m IM, 50m backstroke, 50m breaststroke, and 800m freestyle.

“Though it was the first time for her to swim long distance, she swam so bravely,”

Coach Kimura said Welch, along with Wong, and Shin Kimura did not finish the meet because they took part in the Life Saver Class sponsored by American Red Cross.