Suzuki, Tan break swim records

Suzuki

Tan

Saipan Swim Club’s Lennosuke Suzuki added three more entries to the CNMI record books at the conclusion of the 2016 SSC International Invitational Meet last week at the Kan Pacific Swimming Pool.

Suzuki, who just last month earned his first age group mark (50m freestyle/28.13 seconds), this time set three in the boys 11 to 12 division. He started his string of record-breaking swims last Friday when he timed in at 1:01.48 in the 100m freestyle and broke the 1:02.42 registered by SSC alumni Joshua Taitano on May 5, 1994.

The new age group record also handed Suzuki the first place finish in the event, more than four seconds ahead of Palau’s Jericho Maido (1:05.64). Suzuki also defeated Tsunami Saipan’s Nelson Batallones (1:08.44), Juhn Tenorio (1:13.61), and Dan Illahi (1:51.70), fellow SSC members Rintaro Miyawaki (1:21.15) and Akira Kadokura (1:29.44), and Kihleng Kyler (1:24.26).

Suzuki’s two other marks also eclipsed Taitano’s 22-year-old records. The 12-year-old swimmer clocked in at 2:17.20 in the 200m freestyle race last Saturday morning to crush the 2:18.66 Taitano posted on March 28, 1994. Suzuki then returned for the Saturday afternoon session and picked up where he left off, surpassing Taitano’s record in the 200m individual medley. The young SSC bet logged 2:34.15 to shatter the 2:35.68 Taitano got on April 1, 1994.

In the 200m IM, Suzuki was also the top finisher, touching the wall more than 11 seconds ahead of Maido (2:45.58). Batallones and Tenorio joined the same race and timed in at 2:54.76 and 2:58.71, respectively. In the 200m freestyle, Suzuki posted his biggest lead (nearly 15 seconds), as his closest pursuer—Batallones—clocked in at 2:31.52. Tenorio (2:39.46), Miyawaki (2:58.57), Kadokura (3:18.17), and Nathian Pagaduan (3:37.58) were ranked third to sixth.

Suzuki competed in three other individual events and ruled two of them to take the top honors in his age group, winning a close fight against Maido, 77-73. The SSC bet won the 50m backstroke (35.34 seconds) and the 50m freestyle (28.54 seconds) and placed second in the 50m butterfly (32.84 seconds).

Meanwhile, Angel Marie Tan made it to the girls 17 to 18 age group record list for the first time after competing in the 50m breaststroke event last weekend.

She timed in at 41.43 seconds to break the 42.51 NMSA Female Athlete of the Year awardee Victoria Chentsova set in the same tournament last March 14, 2015. Tan defeated Angel De Jesus in the race, as the latter submitted 45.81 seconds.

Her new mark was a big boost to Tan, who just returned to active swimming last weekend after taking a hiatus for several months. The 50m breaststroke record was also her seventh in different age groups. In the 9 to 10 division, Tan owns three marks (50m, 100, and 200m breaststroke), while in the 11 to 12 age group, she has two (50m breaststroke and 400m IM). She also holds a record in the 13 to 14 division—the 50m backstroke.

Besides the 50m breaststroke, Tan raced in the 100m freestyle (1:10.09), 100m butterfly (1:24.83), 50m butterfly (35.27 seconds), 200m IM (2:56.34), and 50m freestyle (32.12 seconds), too.