Tsunami Saipan rookies debut in short races

  Tsunami Saipan Swimming Center newcomers had their first taste of competition last July 14 when the club hosted a short meet at the Kan Pacific Swimming Pool in Marpi.

Over 20 Tsunami Saipan rookies participated in four shortened races-the 15m backstroke, 15m freestyle, 25m backstroke, and 25m freestyle-as part of their training sessions this summer and they are expected to complete the 50m swim at the start of the 2012-2013 season in September.
“They will continue training hard for more than one month so they can try swimming 50m next season,” Tsunami Saipan head coach Hiro Kimura said.

Tsunami Saipan started its series of short races via the 15mbackstroke event for the boys and girls 6 to 9 age group. Six-year-old Deejay Santomin posted the fastest time in the 15m backstroke after clocking in at 19.49 seconds. Sydney Lim and Dan Illahi came in at second and third with times of 20.79 seconds and 21.51 seconds, respectively, followed by Daehun Kim (22.47 seconds), Isaiah Aleksenko (23.03 seconds), Mickiel Torres (25.50 seconds), Ashley Dangol (27.47 seconds), Shaunalyn Babauta (30.12 seconds), and Nelson Battalones (40.48 seconds).

In the 25m backstroke race, 13-year-old Lalaine Santomin had the best time at 24.46 seconds, followed by Megumi Yoshino (24.67 seconds) and Kenshiro Yanai (25.47 seconds). Also joining the shortened race were Towa Irinaka (26.58 seconds), Aika Watanabe (27.28 seconds), Jhota Yoshino (28.50 seconds), Jzl Santomin (28.88 seconds), and Nanaka Watanabe (29.21 seconds).

Deejay Santomin was also the fastest in the 15m freestyle, timing in at 16.81 seconds and beating Dan Illahi (19.03 seconds) and Batallones (19.59 seconds). Completing the finishers were Aleksenko (21.07 seconds), Torres (21.19 seconds), Daehun Kim (22.12 seconds), Sydney Lim (23.27 seconds), Dangol (25.44 seconds), and Babauta (26.71 seconds).

Deejay’s older sister, Santomin reigned in the 25m freestyle with her 19.88 seconds, outracing Megumi Yoshino (23.10) and Kenshiro Yanai (23.68 seconds). Irinaka placed fourth with his 23.90 seconds, followed by Jhota Yoshino (24.91 seconds), Aika (25.22 seconds) and Nanaka Watanabe (26.96 seconds), and Jzl Santomin (27.29 seconds).

Meanwhile, besides the four shortened races, Tsunami Saipan also held four regular events in the swim meet.

Angel Marie Tan and Ryuto Yanai had a one-on-one race in the 100m breaststroke with the former timing in at 1:27.80 and the latter clocking in at 1:43.26.

In the 200m individual medley, there was a three-swimmer race among Tan, Takumi Sugie, and Kaito Yanai. Sugie had the fastest time at 2:35.53 (AA standard), while Yanai submitted 2:36.52, nearly breaking the CNMI record (2:35.68) in the 11 to 12 age group). Tan tallied 2:55.58.

In the 50m backstroke, 12 Tsunami Saipan swimmers completed the race with Miku Tammy setting a new age group record (girls 11 to 12) after logging 37.58 seconds. Yeop Lee owned the fastest time in the meet’s 50m backstroke after recording 33.48 seconds. His sister, Heon, nailed the third best time at 40.41 seconds, followed by Hiroto Yanai (40.65 seconds), Ryuto Yanai (42.62 seconds), Yuuki Nishida (45.27 seconds), Mark Maestro (48.90 seconds), Kyona Rivera (55.06 seconds), Kenshiro Yanai (58.11 seconds), Karen Irinaka (1:01.35), Kathrine Illahi (1:02.43), and Aika Watanabe (1:03.65).

For the last race of the day-the 50m freestyle, Tammy had another record-breaking time (31.87 seconds), while Sugie and Yeop Lee submitted the Top 2 best times at 29.05 seconds and 29.97 seconds, respectively. Hiroto Yanai also joined the race and had the fourth fastest time at 32.31 seconds.

Other Tsunami Saipan swimmers who completed the final event of the competition were Heon Lee (38.35 seconds), Nishida (39.11 seconds) Maestro (40.65 seconds), Rivera (43.59 seconds), Karen Irinaka (43.74 seconds), Kenshiro Yanai (45.75 seconds), Kathrine Illahi (47.10 seconds), Aika Watanabe (54.74 seconds), and Towa Irinaka (59.48 seconds).

By Roselyn Monroyo
Reporter