8 Tsunami Saipan swimmers to join Tokyo meet

The Tokyo-bound Tsunami Swimming Center Saipan swimmers pose for a group photo before a training session at the Kan Pacific Swimming Pool last week. (Contributed Photo)

Tsunami Swimming Center Saipan selected eight swimmers to represent the club in the Tokyo Junior Sprint 2018 in March.

Tsunami Saipan head coach Hiro Kimura said they will be sending Nanaka and Kouki Watanabe, Asaka Litulumar, Isaiah Aleksenko, Hans Xu, Ashley and Aasish Dangol, and Maria Batallones to the March 3 to 4 meet that will be held at the Tatsumi International Swimming Arena.

The eight swimmers made the grade as they recorded AA times in their respective events. They will compete in two events each with team captain Nanaka joining the 50m breaststroke and 100m individual medley races, vice captain Litulumar participating in the 50m breaststroke and 50m freestyle, and Aleksenko also swimming in the 50m freestyle and 50m butterfly. Xu is Tsunami Saipan’s second bet in the 50m butterfly, while his other event is the 50m backstroke. Aasish will also compete in the 50m butterfly after opening the meet via the 100m IM event, while her sister Ashley is racing in the 100m IM, too and the 50m freestyle. Kouki will take part in the 50m breaststroke and 100M IM, while Batallones will join the 50m breaststroke and 50m freestyle events.

“This team has five members who are CNMI record holders (age group). It is our first time to send a team with more than half of its members holding CNMI records so I can say that we have a strong squad,” Kimura told Saipan Tribune.

The Tsunami Saipan coach added the club set goals for each swimmer with Ashley and Aleksenko expected to deliver the goods once more after their impressive performance in the same competition last year.

“Isaiah Aleksenko and Ashley Dangol are the defending champions. This year, their target is not only to defend their titles, but also to break meet records and qualify for Junior Olympics this summer. I believe they can do it,” Kimura said.

“Aasish Dangol was also a champion last year and missed the 100m IM finals (he finished ninth). So, Aasish must redeem himself. For Nanaka Watanabe and Asaka Litulumar, this meet is their final Tokyo Junior Sprint and they will be aiming to get to the A Finals. Hans Xu, Kouki Watanabe and Maria Batallones are also going for the A Finals in their events,” Kimura added.

To make it to the A Finals, swimmers must finish in the Top 8 in the preliminary races. Those who will miss the cut and are ranked No. 9 to 16 after the preliminaries will then go to the B Finals.

The eight Tsunami Saipan members will be among the more than 3,000 swimmers who will compete in the two-day meet, which changed its age limit from 14 to 12 years old for this year’s meet.

Joining the Tsunami Saipan swimmers in the Tokyo Junior Sprint 2018 are assistant coach Sanjay Dangol and team manager Yuko Kimura. After the competition, the eight swimmers will attend a training camp with a Japanese team from March 5 to 7. The Tsunami Saipan delegation will leave Saipan for Tokyo on Feb. 28.