Chentsova set two CNMI national swim marks

The CNMI’s Victoria Chentsova earned age group and national records in the 400m and 800m freestyle events during last week’s races in the 16th FINA World Championships in Kazan Arena, Kazan, Russia.

The CNMI’s Victoria Chentsova competes in the 400m freestyle event in the 16th FINA World Championships last Monday at the Kazan Arena, in Kazan, Russia.
(Mike Marron)

Chentsova gained the 400m freestyle records right at the start of the tournament last Monday, as she clocked in at 4:44.15 on Heat 1 of the qualifying races. The 17-year-old Saipan Swim Club member crushed the 14-year marks of fellow SSC swimmer Xenavee Pangelinan, who posted the 17 to 18 age group and national records of 4:45.21 on July 29, 2001 during the World Championship in Fukuoka, Japan. The new marks are not yet official, as they need to be certified first by the Northern Mariana Islands Swimming Federation.

Chentsova notched the 400m freestyle record in her third World Championships stint (long course). She had her first in China in 2011 and second in Spain in 2013 and despite having the experience in competing in the world stage, the Saipan International School graduate admitted feeling nervous in her first event in Kazan.

“Honestly, I was really, really nervous at first and was thinking that I have to think about everything that my coach (Jacoby Winkfield) has told me all those months back and so I was focused on all the little thing. At first I thought I was not going to make it and then at the end I was telling myself I have to make it, I have to do it, “Chentsova was quoted as saying in a report submitted by Mike Marron of The Reporters’ Academy and forwarded to Saipan Tribune. The Reporters’ Academy is media production company tasked to write stories on Oceania’s swimmers competing in the world championships.

Chentsova settled down after her first event and then registered her second age group and national records last Saturday after timing in at 9:48.87 on Heat 1 of the qualifying races for the 800m freestyle contest. Her mark surpassed the nearly 20-year-old record of SSC’s Anneka Sakovich, who logged 9:50.22 on Aug. 18, 1995.

“I’m so happy. I didn’t do as well as I hoped, I was aiming for 9 minutes 44 seconds but I beat my time so I’m so happy and relieved,” Chentsova was quoted as saying in an interview with the The Reporters’ Academy.

“I was just trying not to die. I’m always going out too slow and coming back way faster, so I’m always negative splitting. So this time I wanted to go out a little faster so that I wasn’t sprinting near the end. I just gave it my all,” she added.

Meanwhile, three other CNMI swimmers joined Chentsova in Kazan. Results of Kaito Yanai, Takumi Sugie, and Angel De Jesus’ events will be reported in Saipan Tribune’s Tuesday edition.