Sweep for Kimura, Tan

Tsunami Saipan’s Kensuke Kimura and Angel Marie Tan dominated the 2011 Hong Kong-Saipan Goodwill Meet held last Saturday at the Kan Pacific Swimming Pool.

The two swimmers swept the finals of the five events in the 20-meter competition, besting fellow Tsunami Saipan bets and the visiting members of Hong Kong Sword Fish Swim Club.

In the 40m freestyle A Finals, Tan timed in at 25.37 seconds, beating teammate Angel De Jesus (25.50), Hong Kong’s Wing Ting Yip (27.00) and Sing Ying So (29.06), and Tsunami Saipan’s Julie Conner (29.66).

The 12-year-old swimmer’s four other victories came in the 40m breaststroke (31.72 seconds), 40m backstroke (29.15), 40m butterfly (27.83), and the 800m individual medley (1:02.66). De Jesus placed second to Tan in the 40m breaststroke, 40m backstroke, and 80m IM, and third in the 40m butterfly.

Yip foiled Tsunami Saipan’s sweep for the Top 2 finishes in all five events after a runner-up swim in the 40m butterfly. The Hong Kong bet then placed third in the 80m IM and 40m freestyle and fourth in 40m breaststroke and 40m backstroke. So had her best finish in the 40m breaststroke, claiming third place, and then was ranked fourth in the 40m freestyle and fifth in the 40m bactsroke, 40m butterfly, and 800m IM.

Tsunami Saipan’s Miku Tammy appeared in the finals of four events and placed third in the 40m backstroke, fourth in the 80m IM and 40m butterfly, and fifth in the 40m breaststroke.

The A Finals featured the Top 5 finishers in the preliminary races that took place during the morning session of the competition. The sixth to 10th placers then swam in the B Finals held in the afternoon, alongside the A Finals.

Tammy won the 40m freestyle B Finals with her time of 29.95 seconds, defeating Saipan Swim Club’s Hannah Palacios (35.54). Conner won the finals in the two other events, after recording 41.45 seconds in the 40m breaststroke and 36.93 seconds in the 40m backstroke. Palacios placed runner-up in both events with her 54.93 seconds and 39.88 seconds in the 40m breaststroke and 40m backstroke, respectively.

In the boys division, Kimura topped his first event—the 40m freestyle—after registering 21.63 seconds and downing teammate Shigeki Tenorio (21.67 seconds), and Hong Kong’s Wai Long Cheng, (23.13), Ho Man Chan (23.60) and Billy Chan (24.77 seconds).

In the 40m breaststroke, Tsunami Saipan had another 1-2 finish with Kimura timing in at 25.72 and Tenorio tallying 25.79. Ho Man Chan (28.25) and Dickson Hung (29.67) and Tsunami Saipan’s Kaito Yanai (29.02) completed the Top 5.

Tsunami Saipan then occupied four of the Top 5 spots in the 40m backstroke with Kimura in first place with his 23.76 seconds, followed by Tenorio (27.28), Kaisei Toda (28.43), Hung (29.25), and Takumi Sugie (29.30).

Kimura and Tenorio gave Tsunami Saipan another 1-2 finish in the 40m butterfly, as they timed in at 23.41 and 23.49 seconds, respectively. Ho Man Chang, Cheng, and Hung were ranked third to fifth.

In the 80m IM, Tsunami Saipan had a Top 3 finish with Kaito Yanai (57.73) joining runner-up Tenorio (54.93) and winner Kimura (51.04). Hung and Sugie were tied for fourth with similar times of 58.51 seconds.

The boys division also had the B Finals with Kaisei Toda ruling three events (40m freestyle, 40m breaststroke, and 80m IM) and Tenorio and Kaito Yanai prevailing in the 40m backstroke, and 40m butterfly, respectively.

At the end of the one-day competition, three swimmers were recognized for their impressive performance in the goodwill meet. Kimura was awarded the “Most Outstanding Swimmer” trophy, while Hung and Tenorio took home the Tsunami Saipan Coach award and Sword Fish Club Coach plum, respectively.