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High expectations from Tsunami Saipan swimmers
Tsunami Saipan swimmers and their coach Hiro Kimura pose for a photo at the departure area of the Saipan International Airport before leaving for Guam yesterday afternoon to compete in the 2016 Guam Championships. (Contributed Photo)
Six of the 16 Tsunami Saipan swimmers competing in the 2016 Guam Championship are expected to figure in the battle for the high-point award in their respective age groups.
Tsunami Saipan coach Hiro Kimura said siblings Ashley and Aasish Dangol, Maria Batallones, Isaiah Aleksenko, Sophia Gauran, and Aika Watanabe are the club’s strongest candidates for the division championships. Aasish and Ashley are racing in the U8 age group, while Ashley and Aleksenko are entered in the 9 to 10, and Gauran and Watanabe are competing in the 11 to 12.
Completing the Tsunami Saipan delegation for the tournament that will run today until tomorrow are Mark Maestro, Anthony Camacho-Deleon Guerrero, Juhn Tenorio, Ayumi Obligacion, Hans Xu, Arman Rechucher, Sean Gil, Risa Sekiguchi, and Angel De Jesus. Originally, 22 Tsunami Saipan swimmers qualified for the Guam meet, but six of them could not make the trip due to school commitment and other concerns.
“For this meet, everyone will swim eight individual event and two relays. Our target is to bring home medals as many as possible. We are also targeting to update personal best times,” said Kimura, who left Saipan with his swimmers yesterday afternoon in time for today’s competition.
“There are fast swimmers in the U8 age group and I expect good competitions for Aasish and Maria. Ashley and Isaiah have strong chances in the 9 to 10 age group, while either Sophia or Aika can win the championship in the 11 to 12 division,” the Tsunami Saipan coach added.
Kimura is also confident that Camacho-Deleon Guerrero, Tenorio, Maestro, and De Jesus will get medals in their respective races at the Hagatna Pool.
Tsunami Saipan swimmers will compete in 20 events in the Guam tournament. The list includes the 50m, 1,500m, 100m, 200m, 400m, and 800m freestyle; 50m, 100m, and 200m backstroke; 50m and 100m butterfly, 50m, 100m, and 200m breaststroke, 200m and 400m individual medley, 200m medley relay, and 200m freestyle relay.
