Tsunami Saipan swimmers shatter 11 records

Tsunami Swimming Center Saipan swimmers erased 11 CNMI records in the Guam International Swim Meet held over the weekend.

Leading Tsunami Saipan’s record plunge into the waters of the Hagatna Swimming Pool was Rezne Wong, who smashed six records.

The Marianas High School student timed in at 33.18 seconds in the 50m breaststroke to break the boys’ 17-18 age group record of 33.35, which he himself posted in October this year during the Tsunami Saipan-Saipan Swim Club dual meet.

In the 100m breaststroke race, the 18-year-old Wong clocked in at 1:10.21 passing his 1:10.62 mark in the same age group in November this year.

The 17-18 age group record in the 200m breaststroke also fell with Wong finishing the race in 2:30.54, shattering Justin Pierce’s 2:30.56 mark on June 5, 1999.

Rezne’s time in the three breaststroke swims are also new CNMI National records.

Kai Staal returned to Saipan with four new records in the boys’ 13-14 age group to his credit.

Less than two months after posting a record in the 200m freestyle (2:07.16), Staal crushed his own mark, timing in at 2:07.15 in Guam.

Staal’s second record-breaking swim came in the 400m freestyle. Curiously, this event was not among Staal’s strong points, but still he timed in at 4:34.13, which was enough to break the 13-year mark of Joshua Taitano. Taitano’s record, set in Aug. 17, 2005, was 4:35.57.

Staal smashed his own record (35.97) in the 50m breaststroke, when he swam the same event in Guam in 35.33.

The Saipan International School student also competed in the 100m breaststroke and finished the race in 1:16.07 to break Wong’s record of 1:16.48 (Feb. 17, 2006).

Shin Kimura set a new mark in the 15-16 age group’s 800m fresstyle when he clocked 9:46.04. The Grace Christian Academy student broke Robert Jordan’s 9:54.61 mark in Jan. 27, 1996.

Joining Staal, Wong, and Shin in Guam were Kensuke Kimura and Marystar Welch.

On top of Tsunami Saipan swimmers’ record-breaking performances in Guam, coach Hiro Kimura’s tankers also hauled 33 medals.

Wong accounted for four gold medals, three silver, and one bronze, while Kenzuke also took home four gold medals, one silver, and three bronze.

Shin and Staal had two gold medals apiece with the former adding three bronze to his collection. Staal claimed five silver and one bronze medals, while Welch brought home three silver and one bronze.

The quartet of Wong, Shin, Kensuke, and Staal finished second in the 200m freestyle relay and third in the 200m medley relay.