Tsunami Saipan targets more records next season

  Five Tsunami Saipan Swimming Center members will be eyeing more CNMI records when the 2012-2013 season begins in September. Kensuke Kimura, the most senior member of the club, is looking to break two CNMI national marks and three age group records. The 16-year-old swimmer is hoping to eclipse the 200m backstroke mark (2:19.89) of Saipan Swim Club’s Seung Gin Lee (July 25, 2003). Kimura’s best time in the event is 2:20.05. In the 100m backstroke, the Grace Christian Academy student’s PBT is 1:05.70, just less than a second behind the CNMI national record (1:04.80), which Lee also posted on July 25, 2003. In the boys 15 to 16 age group records, Kimura is aiming to surpass the times of Jonathan Sakovich and Rezne Wong. In the 400m freestyle, Sakovich’s 25-year-old record stands at 4:21.70 (May 10, 1987), more than one second ahead of Kimura’s PBT of 4:23.02. In the 1,500m freestyle, Kimura has 17:58.26 compared to Sakovich’s 17:41.15 (Feb. 14, 1987). In the 100m breaststroke, Kimura’s PBT reads at 1:12.52, less than a second behind Wong’s record of 1:12.19 seconds (Feb. 2, 2008). In the girls 13 to 14 age group, Angel Marie Tan looks to break the two breaststroke records of SSC’s Jill Pierce. Tan has 1:22.12 in the 100m breaststroke, less than a second behind Pierce’s 13-year-old record (1:21.64 /June 3, 1999). In the 200m breastroke, Pierce’s mark stands at 2:53.91 (June 5, 1999) against Tan’s 2:56.57. In the boys 13 to 14, Kaito Yanai is hoping to shatter the 16-year-old record of Justin Pierce in the 200m breaststroke (2:42.35/May 19, 1996). Yanai’s current PBT reads at 2:49.79. Miku Tammy, who holds 11 marks in the girls 9 to 10 age group, is moving to the 11 to 12 category and will work on setting new records in the 100m backstroke and 100m butterfly. SSC’s Myana Welch owns the 100m backstroke mark in the girls 11 to 12, posting 1:19.76 on Jan. 12, 2002. Tammy’s PBT right now is 1:21.49. In the 100m butterfly, SSC’s Xenavee Pangelinan still holds the record at 1:18.17 (Jan. 27, 1996), more than a second ahead of Tammy’s PBT (1:19.88). Ryuto Yanai, former U8 swimmer, is also moving to an older age group (9 to 10) next season and is targeting the 50m backstroke record of SSC’s Kento Akimaru. Ryuto Yanai’s PBT is 40.05 seconds, just one second behind Akimaru’s 39.05 seconds. “For the new season, we will have the NMSF sanctioning our swim meet almost every month. Every meet, Tsunami Saipan will try its best to set new records,” Tsunami Saipan head coach Hiro Kimura said. Kimura added that other Tsunami Saipan swimmers also have their goals next season. “Tsunami swimmers aim for higher US standard times. It’s easy to get C and B times, so they will be aiming for A to triple A. They also have to update their personal best times after each meet,” the head coach said.

By Roselyn Monroyo Reporter