SSC swimmers deliver at Invitational

Saipan Swim Club’s bets ruled four age groups in the 2012 SSC International Invitational Meet held last weekend at the Kan Pacific Swimming Pool in Marpi.

The host’s topped both the girls and boys U8 division with Conatsu Kaga and Taiyo Akimaru besting their respective fields and earning 36 and 27 points. Points were awarded to swimmers based on how they placed in each race.

Conatsu defeated younger sister, Coume (24 points) and another SSC swimmer Maria Gregorie (21). The older Kaga finished first in the 50m backstroke (1:01.62), 50m breaststroke (1:10.31), and 50m freestyle (48.52 seconds), and then swam in the 200m freestyle relay to gain the top spot in the girls U8 division.

In the boys U8, Akimaru tied Tsunami’s Ryuto Yanai, while the former’s teammate, Jinnosuke Suzuki, finished second with 24 points. The 6-year-old Akimaru placed first in the 50m backstroke (58.11 seconds) and 50m butterfly (1:12.03) and fifth in the 50m freestyle (52.09 seconds), and also joined the 200m freestyle relay. The 8-year-old Yanai was first in the 50m (33.04 seconds), 100m (1:15.69), and 200m freestyle (2:34.63), to force a tie for first.

In the boys 9 to 10 age group, SSC had a sweep with Lennosuke Suzuki ranked No. 1 with 60 points, followed by teammates Taiga Sato (53) and Rinto Takahashi (38). Lennosuke ruled the200m freestyle (3:03.45), 50m butterfly (46.43 seconds), 100m backstroke (1:39.06), 200m individual medley, and 100m breaststroke (1:51.26) and was third in the 50m breaststroke (52.42 seconds).

In the girls 9 to 10, Neveah Anderson of Guam’s Manukai Athletics Club collected 68 points to beat fellow Guam swimmers Kensleigh Wehut (37) and Madison Guinzu (34) of the Andersen Marlins. Anderson reigned supreme in the 50m backstroke (48.26 seconds), 50m (54.15 seconds) and 100m breaststroke (1:57.06), and 50m butterfly (52.97seconds) and was runner-up in the 200m IM (3:50.65) and 100m backstroke (1:48.61).

Another Manukai swimmer, Danielle Atoigue, won in the girls 11 to 12 age group, while SSC’s own, Kento Akimaru took the boys top honors against Andersen Marlins’ Ayden Capps (30) and Tsunami Saipan’s Kaito Yanai (27). Kento gained 45 points after winning the 50m (41.39 seconds) and 100m breaststroke (1:34.49), 50m freestyle (31.20 seconds), 50m butterfly (33.95 seconds), and 800m freestyle (10:39.60).

Atoigue triumphed in the 50m (54.15 seconds) and 100m breaststroke (1:42.77), 50m (32.98 seconds), 100m (1:13.14), and 200m freestyle (2:39.44), and 200m IM (3:05.97) to get 72 points and down teammate Kate Lee McCormic (61) and Andersen Marlins Maddy Black (45).

In the 13 to 14 age group, Tsunami Saipan and Manukai split honors with Takumi Sugie winning for the former and Taloani Atoigue for the latter. Sugie, who gathered 27 points to beat teammate Min Seok Yoo, earned points in the 50m backstroke (35.51 seconds), 50m freestyle (29.27 seconds), and 200m medley relay. Taloani Atoigue prevailed in the 100m butterfly (1:34.39), 200m IM (3:21.93) and 50m breaststroke (46.41 seconds), placed third in the 50m freestyle (39.97 seconds) and 50 butterfly (39.43 seconds), and fourth in the 50m freestyle (34.86 seconds).

In the 15-and-above division, Tsunami Saipan swept the boys division with Shigeki Tenorio and Kensuke Kimura tied for first and Kaisei Toda in second place, while Andersen’s Anna Drecher won the girls category with her 63 points, edging Manukai’s Hee Jung Kang (60) and Kaitlin Miller (59).

Tenorio and Kimura collected 27 points each, while Toda had 7 points. Tenorio ruled the 100m breaststroke (1:16.07) and 100m freestyle (1:03.72) and raced in the 200m medley relay, while Kimura placed first in the 200m backstroke (2:20.88) and 200m IM (2:19.91) and was also in the medley relay squad.