Tammy continues to crush swim records

  Tsunami Saipan Swimming Center and Miku Tammy now own the CNMI record book in the girls 9 to 10 age group.

Tsunami Saipan had its claim over 14 marks in the girls 9 to 10 division after Tammy reset two more records during a short meet the club hosted on July 14 at the Kan Pacific Swimming Pool in Marpi.

The 10-year-old swimmer clocked in at 37.58 seconds in the 50m backstroke, resetting her own record and CNMI age group mark of 39.46 seconds logged on Feb. 18, 2002. Then in the 50m freestyle, Tammy submitted 31.87 seconds to eclipse the 33.63 seconds Jellian Majors of Saipan Swim Club set on May 8, 2005.

“Tsunami Saipan swimmers now hold all the records in the girls 9 to 10 age group after Miku broke Majors’ time. We’ve done the same in the boys U8 division early this year,” Tsunami Saipan head coach Hiro Kimura said.

Aside from her two record times posted in a local meet two weeks ago, Tammy owns nine more CNMI age group marks. She holds the records in the 100m freestyle (1:13.80/May 25, 2012), 200m freestyle (2:34.86/April 13, 2012), 400m freestyle (5:43.69/Dec. 3, 2011), 800m freestyle (11:49.95/Jan. 21, 2012), 100m backstroke (1:21.49/April 14, 2012), 200m backstroke (2:57.03 (May 25, 2012), 50m butterfly (35.61 seconds/May 26, 2012(, 100m butterfly (1:20.69/May 26, 2012), and the 200m individual medley (2:53.17/April 14, 2012).

Tammy’s teammate, Angel Tan, who is now competing in the 11 to 12 age group, has the three other records in the girls 9 to 10 division. Tan’s record in the 50m breaststroke reads 41.86 seconds (Feb. 20, 2010). Her two other marks-the 100m breaststroke (1:31.27) and 200m breaststroke (3:16.71)-were also made on Feb. 20, 2010.

Meanwhile, Tsunami Saipan broke one more record during the July 14 meet, however Northern Marianas Swimming Federation did not consider Yeop Lee’s time in the 50m backstroke due to residency issues, according to Kimura.

Lee completed the 50m backstroke in 33.48 seconds, surpassing the 34.44 seconds Joshua Taitano logged on May 7, 1994. However, Lee’s time was not entered in the CNMI records books, as he is now a resident of Shanghai, China and only returns to Saipan every summer to train with Tsunami Saipan for two months.

Lee also joined the 50m freestyle race on his return to Saipan and timed in at 29.97 seconds. The complete results of Tsunami Saipan’s meet this month will be published in Saipan Tribune’s Thursday edition.

By Roselyn Monroyo
Reporter