Isaiah: From ‘naughty’ to national swimmer

At only 16 years old, Tsunami Swimming Center Saipan coach Hiroyuki Kimura says Isaiah Aleksenko is the highest level athlete in CNMI sports history. (CONTRIBUTED PHOTO)

At 3 years old Isaiah Aleksenko wasn’t allowed to join a swim team because of his apparent naughtiness.

Thirteen years later, the Marianas High School junior is now part of the CNMI national swimming team bound for the 2022 FINA World Championships in Melbourne, Australia.

Aleksenko, who won two gold medals and a bronze en route to taking home the MVP award in the 2018 Tokyo Junior Sprint in Japan, said he loved the water from the onset. 

Tsunami Swimming Center Saipan coach Hiroyuki Kimura, left, instructs a 7-year-old Isaiah Aleksenko. (CONTRIBUTED PHOTO)

“Ever since I was little I loved swimming. I would ask to go to the beach every time we had the chance and go swim there. My mom saw that I loved swimming and so she made me join a swimming team.”

Yulia Aleksenko’s first attempt at enrolling little Isaiah didn’t turn out well though, as the tot allegedly was too unruly for the swimming coach’s
patience. 

Thankfully a year later, Tsunami Swimming Center Saipan took him in.

Eight-year-old Isaiah Aleksenko with Tsunami Swimming Center Saipan coach Hiroyuki Kimura pose after the former won a medal in a Guam meet. (CONTRIBUTED PHOTO)

“Actually, he was kicked out of another club and came to my club when he was 4 years old. The reason was that he was too unruly and was hard to handle. Even after coming to our club, it was very difficult to handle him, but I and Yuko (Tsunami Saipan manager) could see through him and found him to be a very sweet and honest child,” said Tsunami Saipan coach Hiroyuki Kimura.

Now, Aleksenko is every coach’s dream swimmer and Kimura couldn’t stop praising his protege’s abilities in the water.

“There is no doubt that Isaiah is the highest level athlete in CNMI sports history. We’ve been raising him since he was 4 years old, and we’ve also raised him carefully and lovingly with goals for each age.”

Truth be told, Kimura said Aleksenko could’ve made his national team debut three years ago—he’s just that fantastic a swimmer. But Tsunami Saipan held him back so that his mental state could catch up with his physical attributes.

“At the age of 13, he was already at the level of the CNMI national team, but in consideration for his mental growth, we had kept him until this time. Now that he is 16 years old, our Isaiah is ready to swim in the World Championships. We’ve never seen such high potential in a swimmer like Isaiah. He has grown steadily and achieved results at each age group, and has reached great potential today,” said Kimura.

He thanked Aleksenko’s mother Yulia for raising him well and becoming the talented swimmer he is today. 

“My pride is beyond description. However, I sincerely thank his mom for letting him continue swimming so far and I really want to say congratulations! Without the understanding and cooperation of Yulia and their trust in me, Isaiah would not be what he is today.”

For his part, Aleksenko thanked Kimura for his mentorship and his mother for nurturing his extraordinary swimming talent.

The 16-year-old knows that he’s yet to reach his full potential as a swimmer though.

“My strengths would probably my mindset when it comes to a race and my weaknesses would be not being able to keep my emotions straight when not getting a good time or getting a disqualification because if I get a worse time or get disqualified it just means I didn’t practice enough or didn’t do good in the race itself,” he said in acknowledging the chink in his armor. 

Aleksenko’s mother said she couldn’t be more proud of how her once unruly son has blossomed to become the future of CNMI swimming.

“I’m so proud of my son Isaiah and the Team NMI swimmers for representing us in the World Championships. They have worked so hard in spite of everything. Thank you coach Hiro for getting them this far and helping to make our dreams come true.  I wish you all the best of luck. Have fun and safe travels!”

On getting kicked out of his first swimming team, Isaiah’s mother gave some clarity on the issue.

“He was not really kicked out. Usually kids start at the age of 5… It was difficult to teach him because he didn’t listen and was active and too young. [The coach] I believe she nicely explained that it’s not yet time to start training, and she advised me to bring him back at 5 years old…but yes he was very active and also naughty.”

Yulia, however, credits Kimura for Isaiah’s development and potential not only as a swimmer but as a person.

“It’s true coach Hiro was very careful, kind, and patient with Isaiah. He knew Isaiah was raised without a dad and Isaiah from the beginning treated him like his own father,” she said.

Isaiah Aleksenko and Kimura, along with Jinnosuke Suzuki, Maria Batallones, and Shoko Litulumar, leave for the Land Down Under this morning.