Jinnosuke takes top honors

Saipan Swim Club’s Jinnosuke Suzuki, seen here racing in the 200m individual medley of a local tournament this year, ruled the 11 to 12 age group competition in the 69th Annual Keo Nakama Invitational. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

Saipan Swim Club’s Jinnosuke Suzuki lorded it over in the boys 11 to 12 age group competition in the 69th Annual Keo Nakama Invitational held over the weekend at the Veterans’ Memorial Aquatic Center in Waipahu, Hawaii.

Suzuki collected 78 points from the 10 races he entered in, topping five of them, earning runner-up finishes in three events, and placing third in two other swims. The SSC member was the runaway winner in his age group as he led by 20 points against runner-up Shota Ferreira (58 points) of Aloha Aquatics Association. More than 20 swimmers were entered in Suzuki’s division.

The 11-year-old swimmer posted his first place finish on Day 1 (June 30/Hawaii time) of the meet after clocking in at 2:36.07 in the 200m individual medley. His time was more than 3 seconds faster than his previous personal best (2:39.23) and he touched the wall more than two seconds ahead of runner-up Tyler Surratt of Premier Aquatics-Texas. Twenty-three swimmers did the four-lap swim.

Suzuki got two more first place finishes in the opening day of the tournament, as he ruled the 50m and 400m freestyle events in his age group. In the 50m freestyle, Suzuki submitted 29.64 seconds to beat Ferreira (29.84 seconds) and Surratt (30.24 seconds). Twenty-four others competed in the 50m freestyle event. In the 400m freestyle, which was the last competition for Day 1, the SSC swimmer reasserted his might over Ferreira and Surratt as the latter registered 4:41.01, more than two seconds better than his old PBT of 4:43.52. Ferreira recorded 4:49.19, while Surratt tallied 4:51.47.

Suzuki’s two other top finishes came in the 100m and 200m freestyle races. In the last day of the tournament, Suzuki did not only won the 100m freestyle with his time of 1:02.79, but he also crushed his previous PBT (1:03.45) en route to beating 25 others in the event. In the 200m freestyle race, which took place on Day 2 of the meet, the SSC swimmer clocked in at 2:15.72 to prevail against 26 other participants.

For his runner-up finishes, Suzuki registered 33.37 seconds in the 50m butterfly, 1:15.01 in the 100m backstroke, and 40.17 seconds in the 50m breaststroke. The young swimmer surpassed his old PBTs in the 100m backstroke (1:19.23) and 50m breaststroke (40.69 seconds).

In the 100m butterfly, Suzuki logged 1:13.85 to break his record of 1:14.52 and give him the No. 3 spot in the podium. He was also ranked third in the 100m backstroke after tallying 35.62 seconds, another PBT, eclipsing his 35.85 seconds.

Meanwhile, seven other SSC swimmers joined the Keo Nakama Invitational and results of their races will be reported in Saipan Tribune’s Wednesday and Thursday issues.