Suzuki, Welch get PTBs in Fiji

CNMI and Palau swimmers and coaches pose for a photo while waiting for their races in the XI Oceania Championships in Fiji last Tuesday. (Palau Swimming)

CNMI swimmers Salofi Welch and Lennosuke Suzuki marked personal best times on Day 2 of the XI Oceania Championships.

Suzuki, who earned a PBT in the 50m butterfly during the opening of the swimming competition last Tuesday at the Damodar National Aquatic Centre in Suva, Fiji, added one more after submitting 1:00.37 in the qualifying heat for the 100m freestyle. The 13-year-old swimmer surpassed his old PBT (1:01.33) recorded just last month (May 7) during the 2016 Northern Mariana Islands Swimming Federation Closing Meet at the Kan Pacific Swimming Pool. The PBTs are unofficial (pending confirmation from NMISF) and were based on the results Saipan Tribune obtained from the association’s final competition of the season.

Suzuki was the fastest among the three CNMI swimmers who raced in the two-lap event. Christian Villacrusis had the second best time at 1:01.30, while Welch logged 1:02.14, which is his new PBT, eclipsing the 1:03.78 he recorded in the 2015-2016 season.

Welch also bagged a PBT in the 100m breaststroke after completing the preliminary race last Wednesday morning in 1:22.19. The 18-year-old swimmer’s previous PBT was 1:25.29. Welch also had the best time among the three CNMI swimmers who joined the 100m breaststroke event as Suzuki and Villacrusis posted 1:23.11 and 1:25.59, respectively.

Meanwhile, Victoria Chentsova joined two more races on Day 2 of the area championships. She first participated in the qualifying heat for the 50m backstroke and her 37.15 seconds moved her to the B Finals. In the finale, the CNMI swimmer had a faster time after clocking in at 35.65 seconds. Fiji’s Ella Rasau (32.16 seconds) and New Zealand’s Gabrielle Fa’amausili (29.19 seconds) won the B and A finals, respectively.

In the 100m freestyle, Chentsova recorded 1:04.84 and although she missed the B Finals, she still had a respectable finish, rounding out at No. 23 out of 39 swimmers.

In other results, Chentsova and company raced in the qualifying heats of four more events yesterday morning.

In the first event on Day 3, Villacrusis and Welch did the 50m breaststroke swim and tallied 36.05 seconds and 36.16 seconds, respectively.

Up next was the women’s 400m freestyle event, which Chentsova completed in 4:50.43 for a Top 10 finish. New Zealand’s Helena Gasson topped the qualifier with her 4:19.05.

The three CNMI male swimmers also competed in the 400m freestyle race with Suzuki finishing the event first with his 4:44.11. Villacrusis was second at 5:04.83, while Welch came in at third after registering 5:11.01.

Suzuki had his second event yesterday morning, joining the 100m butterfly contest where he clocked in at 1:12.35.