Ryosei, Hiroto break oldest swim records

Tsunami Swimming Center Saipan’s Ryosei Toda and Hiroto Yanai became the newest members of the elite group of record holders in CNMI swimming after competing in the Tsunami Saipan-Saipan Swim Club dual meet held on April 3 and 4 at the Kan Pacific Swimming Pool in Marpi.

Toda and Yanai were only the third and fourth swimmers to set records in the 8-and-under division, joining Kensuke Kimura and Jonathan Sakovich.

But what made Toda and Yanai’s record-breaking times even more special was these broke the oldest records in the history of CNMI swimming.

Toda timed in at one minute, 22.28 seconds in the 100m freestyle, shattering the 30-year mark of Sakovich. Sakovich’s record was 1:23.57 set on April 5, 1979, according to a copy of Northern Mariana Islands Swimming Federation Long Course Records Saipan Tribune received from Tsunami Saipan.

Sakovich’s 30-year record in the 200m freestyle also fell when Toda submitted 2:58.06, eclipsing the former’s 2:58.54 posted on April 5, 1979, too.

Toda was not done yet, as he went on to surpass Kimura’s mark in the 100m breaststroke with the former clocking in at 1:46.19 against the latter’s 1:47.28 (Feb. 25, 2005).

Toda made these records after only joining Tsunami Saipan’s beginners’ class in 2007. About a year into the Tsunami Saipan program, he had already won two gold medals at the 2008 Guam Short Course Championships. Early this year, Toda topped his age group in the SSC Heptathlon Meet and SSC International Meet.

Yanai just turned eight in December and after four months is now a record-holder in the said age group, following his 37.47 seconds time in the 50m freestyle.

Yanai broke another 30-year mark from Sakovich, who timed in at 37.67 seconds in the 50m freestyle on April 5, 1979. Yanai just started swimming for Tsunami Saipan in February last year.

Hiroto’s older brother, Kaito joined Tsunami Saipan a year earlier than the former and after about two years has joined his sibling in the elite group.

Kaito set a new mark in the 200m individual medley in the 9 to 10 age group, timing in at 3:00.46. He crushed the 3:01.45 record Sakovich set on March 28, 1981.

It was Kaito’s second record, as he also holds the 100m butterfly mark, posting 1:28.68 on March 7, 2009 during the SSC International Meet.

Tsunami Saipan president Stan Good and coach Hiro Kimura said these record-breaking performances would not be possible without the support of the swimmers’ parents and companies/individuals, who are still committed to help the club in these tough economic times.

Good added they are hoping more records will fall this year.

“Records are made to be broken. Tsunami Saipan hopes that legendary Saipan swimmer—Jonathan Sakovich—and his parents [Jean and Bill], the founders of Saipan swimming, are proud of the legacy and high standards they have created to guide our new generation of swimmers,” Good said.