Braig breaks 29-year record in 50m fly

Saipan Swim Club’s Maxi Braig shattered the oldest record in the boys’ 9-10 age group after setting a new mark in the 50m butterfly event during the 2009 SSC Heptathlon Swim Meet held last Feb. 7 at the Kan Pacific Swimming Pool in Marpi.

The 10-year-old Braig timed in at 37.84 seconds in the 50m butterfly swim, eclipsing Jonathan Sakovich’s time of 38.45 seconds, which was recorded on Jan. 13, 1980.

Two more age group records were set in 1980 with Keith Ludwick clocking in at 39.50 seconds in the 50m backstroke (March 28, 1980) and 1:26.08 in the 100m backstroke (Oct. 5, 1980).

“It was an awesome time, a very rewarding result for Maxi, who works hard in our training sessions. It gives him the motivation to do his best in every race,” said SSC coach Michael Villagomez.

Besides the 50m fly event, Braig also swam in the 50m and 100m breaststroke, 50m and 100m backstroke, and 50m and 200m freestyle en route to topping the boys’ 9-10 age group competition.

The Saipan International School student earned 490 points from swimming in seven events and defeated seven other participants.

Tsunami Swimming Center Saipan Kaito Yanao placed second with his 485 points, followed by teammates Kosei Toda (230) and Takumi Saugie (220), SSC’s Bryce Daly (205), Tsunami’s Dylan Ackerman (90), SSC’s Andrew Klassen (50), and Ryu Tanzawa (35).

SSC fielded 20 swimmers in the two-day heptathlon meet. The list also included Junior Pamaran, Michael Moran, Keanna Villagomez, Lester Lapuz, Tatiana Calvo, Grace Kimball, Raina Klaver, Andrew Kimball, Justin Park, Matthew Klassen, Abigail Martinsen, Victoria Chentsova, Chenee Rhyoo, Danee Rhyoo, Andrew Klassen, Kento Akimaru, Sarah Klassen, and Emma Martinsen.

Grace Kimball finished first in her age group (girls’ 13-14) earning 405 points from seven events, while Abigail Martinsen was second in the girls’ 11-12 age group. Moran and Pamaran were fourth and fifth in the boys’ 15-and-over, Lapuz was second in the boys’ 13-14, Calvo was third in the girls’ 13-14, Andrew Kimball was also third in the boys’ 11-12, and Chentsova, Klaver, and Rhyoo were third, fourth, and fifth in the girls’ 11 to 12.

Coach Villagomez commended his wards for a job well done and hopes the heptathlon meet warms up the club’s swimmers for the SSC International Swim Meet set next month.

“There were significant improvements in various events from different swimmers and I hope they will continue to have good swims in the next tournament,” Villagomez added.