Sugie, Cespedes top short course meet

Tsunami Saipan and Dolphin Club Saipan swimmers pose for a photo after a short course meet at the Kan Pacific Swimming Pool last Saturday. (Contributed Photo)

Tsunami Saipan held a short course meet last Saturday at the Kan Pacific Swimming Pool with the host’s Takumi Sugie and Daniel Cespedes of the pledging Dolphin Club Saipan posting the fastest times in four events.

Sugie had the best times in the 20m kick and 20m freestyle contests, while Cespedes earned the same feats in the 20m butterfly and 20m backstroke.

The Dolphin member timed in at 14.08 in the 20m backstroke and was the lone swimmer to break the 20-second barrier in the sprint event. Cespedes bested 17 other swimmers. Kevin Guerrero logged the second fastest time at 20.86 seconds, while Kean Pajarillaga (23.58 seconds), Tommy Aldan (25.91 seconds), and Tellei Rechucher (26 seconds) were ranked third to fifth, respectively.

In the 20m butterfly, Cespedes lorded it over in the 27-swimmer field with his 10.31 seconds. Takumi Sugie was ranked second after clocking in at 10.75 seconds, while Miku Tammy (11.99 seconds), Angel De Jesus (12.08 seconds), and Nelson Batallones (12.12 seconds) rounded out the roster of swimmers with the Top 5 best times in the event.

In the 20m freestyle, it was Sugie’s turn to take the top spot against Cespedes with the former submitting 9.98 seconds against the latter’s 10.42 seconds. Mark Maestro (11.19 seconds), De Jesus (11.45 seconds), and Isaiah Aleksenko (11.48 seconds) made up the Top 5.

Earlier in the first event—20m kick—Sugie timed in at 13.03 seconds to prevail against 51 other swimmers, including five from the Dolphin Club Saipan. Besides Cespedes, Yulia Aleksenko, Emma Perez, Dave David, and Phoung Luu were the other members of the newest swim club on island who joined the weekend races.

Last Saturday’s meet was the first of the two short course events Tsunami is hosting every year.

“It does not matter if the swimmers’ times are so slow, as the most important thing is participation. For experienced swimmers, the meet served as a team building. We thank Dolphin Club for joining the short course meet,” Tsunami Saipan head coach Hiro Kimura said.

“Two of the Dolphin Club Saipan swimmers were swimming in the first swim meet of their lives. It was the perfect first meet for these adult swimmers. We had a mix of swimmers, from novice to seasoned competitors. Each of our swimmers, regardless of experience, had a great time. Dolphin Club Saipan is a new club striving to build an adult swimming community with all the health benefits and comradeship such a community provides,” Dolphin Club Saipan president Emma Perez said.

The club, through the support of Mariana Resort, gives free adult swim lessons on Saturdays from 2pm to 3pm. Free classes on ocean swim are available on Monday and Wednesday mornings from 6:30am-7:30am at the beach in front of Hyatt Regency Saipan. For more information, contact emmalouperez@gmail.com.