7 picked for World, Jr. World Championships

From left clockwise, Isaiah Aleksenko, Jakey Deleon Guerrero, Taiyo Akimaru, Kean Pajarillaga, Jinie Thompson, Maria Batallones, and Shoko Litulumar after practice at the Pacific Islands Club Saipan pool. (MARK RABAGO)

The Northern Marianas Islands Swimming Federation has picked seven swimmers to make up the CNMI national swimming teams for the 20th FINA World Championships in Fukuoka, Japan in July and the 9th FINA Junior World Championships in Netanya, Israel in September.

NMISF director Richard Sikkel said selected to the Fukuoka meet are Isaiah Aleksenko, Jakey Deleon Guerrero, Maria Batallones, and Shoko Litulumar, while picked for the Netanya meet are Taiyo Akimaru, Kean Pajarillaga, and Jinie Thompson.

“World Aquatics is sponsoring swimmers and we got wildcards to attend. They provide some funding and for Fukuoka we got four spots and for Israel we only got three spots,” he said.

Sikkel said all swimmers went through selection trials where candidates swam eight events in the 50m and 100m distances. 

“We just ran their times and those who won the most first places were ranked first. For the boys it was Isaiah, Jakey, Kean, and Taiyo. For the girls, it was Maria, Shoko, and Jinie,” said Sikkel.

Aleksenko is honored to represent the CNMI again in the World Championships. 

“For my goals I want to get FINA A time for backstroke and butterfly,” said the 17-year-old Marianas High School student.

Deleon Guerrero, for his part, since the World Championships is his first and last official swim competition in his high school career, he will certainly strive to cut his personal best times. 

“I would like to thank my family, in particular, my mom and grandma who pushed me to get back into swimming since I quit at the end of 8th grade, but came back in 11th grade,” said the graduating senior from MHS.

Batallones said her goals in the Tokyo meet are to set personal best times and hopefully break records.

“Another of my goals is to meet new people from all over the world and hopefully build bonds. I wish to dedicate this to the whole CNMI because I want to represent us well,” said the 15-year-old MHS sophomore.

Like Batallones, Litulumar also sets her sights in reseting records in Japan.

“Yes, my parents do support me, yes my coach helps me improve, but in the end, the one working to achieve it is myself. So I would like to self-appreciate and dedicate my making the team to myself,” said the 16-year-old student at MHS.

Akimaru said he plans to reset CNMI national records in the Junior World Championships in Israel. 

“I want to dedicate this selection to my coaches who really worked with my swims…We will try our best as the national team that represents NMI in the Junior World Championships!” said the 17-year-old student at MHS.

Pajarillaga said he also would like to break records in the Junior World Championships.

“I want to dedicate this selection to my mom, coach, and friends,” said the 16-year-old student from Grace Christian Academy.

Thompson said her goals in Israel are to beat her previous World Championship times as well as always give her all in every race she swims. 

“Not only am I excited for the events, but I am excited to meet the many amazing swimmers from all over the world. I dedicate this to my family who never fail to support me, my teammates that get me through tough practices and encourage me through wins and losses, and my coach who pushes me to my limits and gets me to where I need to go in this sport,” said the 17-year-old student from MHS.