Swimmer Lee competes in world championships

Saipan’s Seung Gin Lee traveled to Honolulu last week to compete in the FINA World Open Water Swimming Championships off Waikiki. He competed in two of the six events contested, of which three were for the world championships. In conjunction with 5 km, 10 km and 25 km events, there was a 1 km and 3 km and 5 km international Hawaiian events that also took place.

Seung Gin competed in both the 5 km events although it was intended that he competes in a 3 km and 5 km, but due to an error in the original program, he swam two 5 km back to back.

On Oct. 31st, 25 women and 33 men competed in the 5 km event, with the men’s race beginning at 11:00 a.m., after the completion of the women’s race, with swimmers from 38 countries.

The winds had picked up a little creating some chop and the surf was running about 4-6 feet. The swim course was off the beach at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Hotel, through the surf out to the channel beyond the surf line, then south along a straight line toward Diamond Head just off the old Natatorium at Kapiolani Park, and returning the same way to the beach.

Swimming along with dolphins and turtles, the first swimmers to finish in 59 minutes 18 seconds was Evgeni Bezroutchenko of Russia, followed by David Meca of Spain and Luca Baldini of Italy. Thirty-three seconds separated the first 17 swimmers, then the times spread out.

Another swimmer from Oceania, Carl Probert who was a South Pacific Games medalist, was 27th, and Seung Gin was 31st at 1:13.06 for a very respectable finish against the best in the world. It was also the longest swim for Seung Gin since his specialty is short distances in backstroke and freestyle. Japan’s only swimmer, Hiroki Hikida, placed 22nd.

The women’s 5 km was won by world champion Peggy Bucshe of Germany at 1:02;06, followed by Kalyn Keller of the U.S.A. and Viola Valli of Italy.

The following day, under slightly improved conditions, Seung Gin swam in the international 5 km race, lowered his time by almost four minutes and placed 13th out of 46 swimmers, and won a 5th place medal in his 15-19 age group. Bill Sakovich also swam this event in the 55 and over age group to win a bronze medal in 1 hour and 40 minutes.

This Saturday, Nov. 11th, the All Schools Swimming Championships will be held at the Kan Pacific Swimming Pool beginning at 8:00 a.m. About 20 schools have confirmed their participation in the Elementary, Junior High and High School Divisions, with a trophy to the winner of each combined boys and girls division. Waterpolo exhibition will take place amongst the SSC swim team members around 11:00 a.m.