SSC makes splash in Australia

After posting a string of successful virtual meets, the Saipan Swim Club and coach Michael Stewart boarded a plane bound for the Land Down Under to compete against actual opponents as seven top swimmers will test the waters of the 2005 Arafura Games in Darwin, Australia.

Coach Stewart and his team of Ben Babauta, Michael Camacho, Natasha Good, Cooper Graf, Amanda Johnson, Nina Mosley, and Myana Welch will be accompanied by a support group composed of several parents for the duration of the games, which began yesterday morning and continue today.

Throughout the region, the Arafura Games are known as a mini-Olympiad and include elaborate opening and closing ceremonies, in which the local delegates will proudly display the CNMI flag. The opening ceremonies took place yesterday, and the swimmers will see their first action this morning in the Casuarina Swimming Pool.

The swimmers agree that they stand to benefit from the trip both in and out of the water, and will appreciate the opportunity to expose the rest of the region to the talents and hospitalities of the CNMI.

Each of the swimmers will be competing in eight to nine events during the games, and 12-year-old Cooper Graf will have an added challenge during the games, as he will be entered into the open division in the 200-meter and 400-meter freestyle races because they are not offered in his age group. Though he will be racing primarily against swimmers over 18, his previous times would have put him in the finals.

“I’m a little nervous, but it’s going to be fun,” said Graf.

Thirteen-year-old Ben Babauta won’t have to face the same type of competition, and he found another couple of reasons to be anxious for the games.

“I’m looking forward to meeting different people, having fun, and making friends for my first time in this race,” said Babauta.

While Babauta is looking forward to the lighter side of the games, Mosley is hoping to benefit from racing against an international field—regardless of the outcome.

“It’s pretty big. It’s going to be a good experience to work on our people skills. I think it’s probably going to be easier for us to not make drastic changes in our times, but improve somewhat because (usually) we’re swimming against ourselves and Guam, or against the clock, so it’s probably going to be a lot better once there’s someone a lot better in front of us—knowing how it feels to get your butt kicked,” said Mosley

Welch echoed Mosley’s sentiments, and gave a little different perspective.

“We’re little fishies in a small pool right now, and we’re going to the big pool to see what it’s really like. Part of the reason why we are so excited is meeting different people. I mean, we could swim here to make good times, but we go there to make it better—to make it worth-while,” said Welch.

Though the conditions in Australia will be similar to Saipan, the large crowds and international competition can make the savviest athlete a little nervous, but coach Stewart said that his kids will do well if they heed his advice.

“It’s the thrill of competition, but a race is a race, 50 meters is 50 meters, and 60 seconds is 60 seconds. That’s why I say that even if your competition is faster than you are, you’re always racing the clock—you’re always racing yourself. Swim your own race and trust in your training,” said Stewart.

Held every other year, the Arafura Games bring together thousands of top-caliber athletes from over 35 countries to compete in 31 sports, and the 2005 edition of the games is expected to be higher than normal due to SARD scare that caused the cancellation of the 2003.

The theme for the 2005 Arafura Games is “Sporting Neighbors—Developing the World’s Elite Athletes.”