Swimmers, bowlers are October’s best

 The NMASA October Athletes of the Month awards were given to swimming’s Angel Marie Tan and Kento Akimaru and bowling’s Simon Manacop and Gloria Omechelang.

Tan was named NMASA Female Student Athlete of the Month after a record-swim in the 18th SSC All Schools Swimming Championships last month at the Kan Pacific Swimming Pool in Marpi. The 12-year-old Grace Christian Academy student posted 34.39 seconds in the 50m butterfly (girls 11 to 12) to eclipse the 34.48 seconds Amanda Johnson of SSC posted on March 28, 2004. The Tsunami Saipan mainstay won the 50m butterfly race against Hopwood Junior High School’s Angel De Jesus and also prevailed in the 100m freestyle event (1:27.75) to help GCA take the championship in the junior high school division.

Akimaru was the other student awardee for October after crushing four records last month. The Saipan Community School student made two of the 9 to 10 age group marks during the All Schools meet. In the 200m freestyle, the Saipan Swim Club swimmer clocked in at 2:28.04, passing the 2:29.37 Kaito Yanai of Tsunami Saipan recorded on May 29, 2010 during a tournament in Guam. Then in the 100backstroke event, Akimaru submitted 1:25.57, surpassing the 31-year mark of Keith Ludwick, who timed in at 1:26.08 on Oct. 5, 1980.

The 10-year-old’s two other CNMI age group records came early last month during a pre-All Schools competition. Akimaru swam in the 50m freestyle and finished the event in 31.68 seconds to shatter the 31.67-second mark of Yanai (Feb. 20, 2010). In the 100m freestyle, Akimaru clocked in at 1:08.35 in the 100m free, erasing anew Yanai’s record (1:09.34/May 22, 2010).

Meanwhile, Manacop and Omechelang were chosen October Male and Female Athletes of the Month after ruling Saipan Bowling Association’s roll-offs last month.

Manacop competed for two days of the Budweiser King of the Lanes monthly tournament and posted the highest scores on both days. In Day 1, he collected 846 pinfalls in four games to pace 11 other participants. The next day, Manacop earned 767 pinfalls, which also topped the group, awarding him the King of the Lanes crown for October.

Omechelang duplicated Manacop’s feat when she logged a field best of 706 and 695 pinfalls in Day 1 and 2, respectively. She claimed the Queen of the Lanes tiara against seven other female keglers.

Omechelang and Manacop are now qualified for the 2011 NMASA Male and Female Athletes of the Year awards. For Tan and Akimaru, they are eligible to win the 2011 NMASA Male and Female Student Athletes of the Year citations. The prestigious plums will be awarded next year and selection will be made in January 2011.

Meanwhile, sports associations are advised to turn in their nominations for the CNMI Sports Hall of Fame next month during the NMASA meeting on Dec. 1.