Tsunami Saipan swimmers triumph

The five Tsunami Saipan swimmers pose with their medals and coach Hiro Kimura after competing in the 2014 Guam International Meet last weekend in Hagatna. (Contributed Photo)

Kana Suzuki, Isaiah Aleksenko, and Juhn Tenorio took the high-point first place medals, while Angel De Jesus and Nelson Batallones received runner-up and third place awards, respectively, after a successful campaign in the annual competition held over the weekend at the Hagatna Swimming Pool.

Suzuki topped the girls U18 age group after collecting 50 points. She prevailed against Tsunami Guam’s Sydney Packbier (46 points) and Joy Blaz (13) and Andersen Marlin’s Taylor Frederickson (11).

The Tsunami Saipan bet swam in six events, placing first in four and second in the two other races. Suzuki won the 100m freestyle event (1:38.52), 50m freestyle (46.55 seconds), 200m freestyle (3:35.08), and 50m butterfly (56.56 seconds) and finished runner-up in the 50m backstroke (54.28 seconds) and 50m breaststroke (1:06.84).

Aleksenko made it a Tsunami Saipan sweep in the U8 age group as he bested five other swimmers in his division. He gained 54 points to beat Tsunami Guam’s Ty Leon Guerrero (45), Jayen Toh (22) and Luke Leon Guerrero (17), Tokoha Swim School’s Kota Shibaguchi (14), and Tsunami Saipan’s Andy Cajigan (8).

The 8-year-old Tsunami Saipan member dominated six events—50m freestyle (39.12 seconds), 50m butterfly (47.91 seconds), 200m freestyle (3:12.80), 50m breaststroke (54.52 seconds), 50m backstroke (49.57 seconds), and 100m freestyle (1:26.16).

In the boys 9 to 10 age group, Tenorio lorded it over against six other swimmers. His 70 points bested the 66 of Tsunami Saipan’s Chuckie White. Other participants in the division were White’s teammates Kiran Toh (50), Entera Louis (7) and Alexander Gayle (5), Andersen Marlins’ Riley Solenberg (48), and Tokoha’s Shoji Abekawa (11).

Tenorio ruled seven events—50m backstroke (42.08 seconds), 200m individual medley (3:23.17), 100m backstroke (1:34.24), 200m freestyle (2:55.71), 200m backstroke (3:10.95), and 100m breaststroke (2:00.39)—and had a runner-up finish in the 100m freestyle (1:18.38).

In the boys 11 to 12 division, Batallones rounded out the Top 3 with his 54 points, joining top placer Caleb White (69) and runner-up Ken Hasegawa (66) of Tsunami Saipan. Battalones won the 200m IM (3:15.08) and had the second fastest time in the 100m freestyle (1:15.80), 200m freestyle (2:50.07), and 100m backstroke (1:38.09). He was then ranked third in the 400m freestyle (5:57.99) and 50m butterfly (37.88 seconds) and fourth in the 50m backstroke (41.34 seconds).

In the girls 15 to 16, De Jesus was the second fastest in seven of her eight events to place runner-up to Manukai Athletic Club’s Danielle Atoigue. De Jesus collected 54 points against Atoigue’s 61. Tsunami Guam’s Anabelle Alba also got 54 point to tie De Jesus, while Manhoben Swim Club’s Lorelei Poppe completed the Top 3 after earning 44 markers.

De Jesus finished second in the 100m freestyle (1:08.43), 50m backstroke (38.57 seconds), 200m IM (2: 56.60), 100m backstroke (1:25.34), 200m freestyle (2:33.05), 400m freestyle (5:30.52), and 50m freestsyle (31.10 seconds) and fourth in the 50m butterfly (35.72 seconds).