Record-breaking swims for Tsunami Saipan

Tsunami Saipan’s Rezne Wong shattered the CNMI National Record in the 50m breaststroke swim, while teammates Kai Staal and Kensuke Kimura broke age groups marks during the Tsunami Swimming Center Saipan-Saipan Swim Club Dual Meet Saturday at the Kan Pacific Swimming Pool in Marpi.

Wong timed in at 33.39 seconds in the 50m breaststroke, eclipsing his own mark of 33.88 seconds which he posted on Feb. 1, 2008. Wong also set a new mark in the 17 to 18 age group which he himself recorded (34.95 seconds) on May 31, 2008.

The 17-year-old Wong swam in three other events during the one-day meet. He clocked in at 32.26 seconds in the 40m backstroke and 56.61 seconds in the 100m freestyle. In the 50m freestyle, Wong recorded 26.13 seconds, just a second behind Jonathan Sakovich’s mark in the 17 to 18 age group.

Staal broke two records in the boys’ 13 to 14 age group. He finished the 200m freestyle race in 2:07.16, shattering the 2:08.71 mark Dean Palacios posted on July 24, 2001.

The 14-year-old Staal made another record-breaking swim in the 50m freestyle, timing in at 26.18 seconds, .05 ahead of previous record-holder Joshua Taitano, who clocked in at 26.23 on Dec. 9, 2005.

Staal also swam in the 100m freestyle, posting 58.54 seconds, less than a second behind the record of Taitano (57.86 seconds).

Completing the record-breaking trio of Tsunami Saipan was Kimura, who set a new mark in the 800m freestyle.

Kimura finished the longest race among the 14 events featured in the dual meet in 10:23.35, beating Taitano’s mark (10:45.50) in the boys’ 11 to 12 age group.

The 12-year-old Kimura saw action in three more events. He timed in at 39.34 seconds in the 50m breaststroke, more than two seconds behind the 37.25 seconds off Jacoby Winkfield’s 1:26.66 in the 100m breaststroke, less than four seconds behind Winkfield’s 1:22.72 mark; and 32.74 seconds in the 50m freestyle, more than five seconds shy off Taitano’s 28.16 seconds.

More than 20 Tsunami Saipan swimmers joined the dual meet.

The list include Kaito Yanai, Sarah Johnson, Cooper Graf, Marystar, Salofi, and Ashley Welch, Thea Minor, Hiroto Yanai, Angel De Jesus, Ryosei Toda, Dylan Ackerman, Quintin Ramsey, Kosei Toda, Angel Tan, Takumi Sugei, and Arthur Sondheim.

Tsunami Saipan coach Hiro Kimura expressed his satisfaction over his swimmers performances in the dual meet.

“Usually, I’m not satisfied with the results of some swimmers even if they won. However, at this meet, I’m really satisfied with our kids’ performances. They showed their best fighting form and tried their best to past their personal best times. In swimming, you race against yourself,” Hiro said.

Hiro added that the national and age group record-breaking performances of Tsunami Saipan’s three swimmers are products of their hard work during training sessions.

“If they keep working hard, they will not be surprised to get good results,” Hiro said.

The Tsunami Saipan coach also noted the performances of seven other Tsunami Saipan swimmers.

He said De Jesus, Tan, Hiroto Yanai, and Ryosei Toda did a good job in their respective events.

Hiro added Kaito Yanao had an impressive debut in the 200m individual medley.

“It was his first time and he did well. We expect him to break one of the oldest records (since 1981) in the 200m IM in the 9 to 10 age group,” Kimura said.

The Tsunami Saipan coach also mentioned Graf’s performance in the 100m butterfly, saying the event was the toughest in the dual meet and the 16-year-old swimmer bravely raced against some of the fastest sprint swimmers on island.

“He did not even take a breath in the first 25m,” said Hiro, who was also impressed with Thea Minor’s 50m butterfly swim.

Minor timed in at 40.43 seconds in the 50m butterfly race and Hiro said it will not take the 12-year-old swimmer and CNMI’s tennis player long to break the 40-second barrier.

“She will break the 40-second barrier before the year ends,” Hiro said.