SSC swimmers earn over 100 PBTs

A Saipan Swim Club member races in the 100m breaststroke event during last month’s 2018 SSC International Meet held at the Kan Pacific Swimming Pool. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

Saipan Swim Club members had personal best times galore during the 2018 SSC International Meet, recording more than 100 in last month’s competition at the Kan Pacific Swimming Pool.

The 42 SSC swimmers who raced in the March 23 and 24 tournament combined for 106 PBTs with the most (17) posted in the 50m freestyle event.

Kento Akimaru led the club’s PBT getters in the 50m freestyle swim, as he clocked in at 25.37 seconds, beating his previous best mark of 25.61. Duplicating Kento’s feat were Kaya Braxton (49.56 seconds), Kaithlynn Chavez (35.73), Jan Marini Milo (41.69), Sophia Brasuell (41.76), Michael Miller (42.49), Yutaka Kadokura (53.93), Randy Jun Rabago (56.48), Landon Springer (59.78), Taiga Scoggins (1:00.70), Takeru Jim (40.02), Wataru Kadokura (44.29), Zeno Iwami (52.78), Jinnosuke Suzuki (29.17), and Taiyo Akimaru (31.32).

Meanwhile, Anthony-Camacho Deleon Guerrero started SSC’s string of PBTs after completing the lung-busting 1,500m freestyle swim in 20:37.76. The 12-year-old swimmer surpassed his old PBT of 20:58.08. Lennosuke Suzuki also got a PBT in the longest race in the tournament after logging 19:30.37, more than seven minutes faster that his previous mark (19:37.85).

In the 200m breaststroke, SSC also registered two PBTs, courtesy of Lennosuke (2:47.66) and Taiyo (3:26.54), while Jinju Thompson gave the club its only PBT in the 200m backstroke after posting 2:55.08.

In the 100m freestyle, SSC swimmers gained 15 PBTs with Kento having the best time in the entire field with his 55.98 seconds—faster than his seed time of 56.04.

For the 50m backstroke, 10 SSC swimmers recorded PBTs—including David Boyer, with the fastest time (36.07 seconds) among the club members. Boyer’s old mark was 36.12 seconds.

In the 100m butterfly, siblings Kaithlynn (1:42.26) and Mark Chavez (1:50.82) got PBTs, joining Camacho-Deleon Guerrero (1:16.51) and Kento (1:01.26) on the short list, while 13 SSC swimmers made the PBT getter roster in the 50m breaststroke. Again, Kento was on the elite group and had the best time at 32.47 seconds, more than two seconds better than his old PBT (35.21 seconds).

In other events, SSC swimmers tallied nine PBTs each in the 100m breaststroke and 200m individual medley swims, eight in the 50m butterfly, two in the 400m freestyle, 10 in the 200m freestyle, and four in the 100m backstroke.