27 more PBTs for 5 SSC swimmers

Jinju Thompson, left, is at the starting block of one of her races in last weekend’s 69th Annual Keo Nakama Invitational held at the Veterans’ Memorial Aquatic Center in Waipahu, Hawaii. (Contributed Photo)

Five other Saipan Swim Club members who joined the 69th Annual Keo Nakama Invitational combined for 27 personal best times in the tournament held over the weekend at the Veterans’ Memorial Aquatic Center in Waipahu, Hawaii.

Siblings Jinju and Jinie Thompson, Taiyo Akimaru, Christian Villacrusis, and David Boyer all earned PBTs in the five sessions of the competition held from June 30 to July 2 to help SSC finish in the Top 10 in the overall standings of the 24-club field.

During the first session, the SSC members (excluding age group champions Kento Akimaru and Jinnosuke Suzuki), logged eight PBTs. Villacrusis and Boyer made two in the men’s open 200m individual medley with the former timing in at 2:28.93 to surpass his PBT of 2:31.65. Boyer logged 2:44.70, nearly five seconds faster than his previous PBT of 2:49.38. Jinju and Lennosuke also did the same event in the 13 to 14 age group and the former’s 3:03.12 broke her PBT of 3:05.51, while the latter timed in at 2:28.45—over two seconds better than his old mark (2:31.16).

Lennosuke got a PBT, too in the 400m freestyle with his 4:39.04 eclipsing his 4:43.08, while Taiyo and Jinju also had a pair of PBTs in the first session of the tournament in the 11 to 12 and 13 to 14 age groups. Taiyo bagged PBTs of 5:22.97 (from 6:08.16) in the 400m freestyle and 31.84 seconds (from 32.46 seconds) in the 50m freestyle, while Jinju’s second PBT came also in the 50m freestyle as she registered 32.21 seconds (from 32.60 seconds).

In the second session, SSC swimmers notched five PBTs. Four of them came from Taiyo as he posted 34.66 seconds in the 50m butterfly, 1:28.27 in the 100m backstroke, 43.63 seconds in the 50m breaststroke, and 2:34.59 in the 200m freestyle. Jinie made the other one with her 1:42.07 in the 100m butterfly in the girls 11 to 12 division.

For the third session, Lennosuke handed SSC two PBTs with his 1:19.25 (from 1:21.16) in the 100m breaststroke and 2:06.02 (from 2:10.42) in the 200m freestyle. Boyer contributed one after logging 2:18.59 (from 2:19.34) in the 200m freestyle, too.

Taiyo returned for the fourth session and got three more PBTs: 2:25.80 (from 2:30.29) in the 200m butterfly; 1:37.47 (from 1:41.79) in the 100m breaststroke; and 1:10.62 (from 1:11.62) in the 100m freestyle. Lennosuke claimed two more with his 2:35.82 (from 2:40.30) in the 200m butterfly and 1:14.28 (from 1:16.83) in the 100m backstroke, while Villacrusis and Boyer both gained PBTs in the 100m backstroke, too, after recording 1:13.94 (from 1:20.59) and 1:19.32 (from 1:18.67), respectively.

For the final session of the tournament, Lennosuke closed out with two more PBTs, while Jinju and Villacrusis made one each. Lennosuke marked PBTs in the 200m breaststroke with his 2:59.26 (from 3:00.70) and 100m freestyle (58.33 seconds from 58.68). Jinju also swam in the 100m freestyle and her 1:09.66 was a minute faster than her old PBT of 1:10.66, while Villacrusis got his last PBT in the 50m freestyle after posting 27.02 seconds (from 27.05 second).

Meanwhile, SSC finished at No. 8 overall after collecting 230 points. Points were awarded based on how each swimmer finished in their races and the team’s performance in the relays. Hawaii Swimming Club-Oahu ruled the competition with its 1,148, while Premier Aquatics and Kamehameha Swim Club rounded out the Top 3 after gaining 1,068 and 656 points. SSC finished ahead of majority of the swim clubs in Hawaii.