Nina, Juan perform well in Oceania

Saipan Swim Club stalwarts Nina Mosley and Juan Camacho arrived yesterday morning from Fiji where the duo competed in the 2004 Oceania Swimming Championships.

Long-time SSC coach Bill Sakovich and the club’s new coach Michael Stewart accompanied the two to Suva and both agreed that although Mosley and Camacho didn’t medal they still came away with tons of experience swimming against the region’s powerhouses.

“Our kids did quite well. Nina made the finals in the 200m freestyle and reached the semis in most of her events. She also improved most of her times on the shorter distances. Juan had a good meet. He did not do as many personal best times as we’ve had hoped. However, this was his very first real international meet. So I think he did well, considering that fact,” said Sakovich.

According to him, Mosley also broke one record – her own in the 100m freestyle – where the sprinter lowered her previous best from 1:04.12 to 1:03.27.

On her only final, Mosley placed eighth in the 200m freestyle finishing in a time of 2:24.49.

Mosley also gave the CNMI another honor after being selected to the island team that challenged Australia, New Zealand, New Caledonia, and Tahiti in the relays held during the final day of competition.

Camacho, meanwhile, matched Mosley’s achievement by reaching the finals in the 200m backstroke, where he finished eighth best in a time of 2:37.53.

Sakovich also disclosed that the 15-year-old proved popular, especially among the lady swimmers in the meet. “Juan was quite the charmer.”

Aside from the pool events at the Laucala Bay Sports Complex, Mosley and Camacho also competed in the five-kilometer open water swim off the Pacific Harbour Hotel.

Two of only nine entrants to the event Mosley finished fourth best among the women (1:19.51.54), while Camacho emerged from the surf fifth among the men (1:20.07.06).

“It was a very tough competition with top level talent from this part of the region. New Zealand had their best swimmers, likewise with Tahiti and New Caledonia and even though Australia only sent its B team, they still, along with New Zealand, dominated the meet,” added Sakovich.

For his part, Stewart feels the boys and girls of the SSC have nowhere to go but up considering the youth and discipline of the team.

“We must continue to work hard. We’re a young group. And it looked like the other island clubs have older swimmers. So, we have the young talent coming up.”

He also said that Mosley has all the potential to become a real contender in future regional meets, while Camacho is a diamond in the rough whose time will eventually come. “[Juan] raced well considering his a rookie. He had a couple of good swims.”

Stewart also saw the meet as a success personally since the Oceania championships allowed him the opportunity to get to know other swim coaches from around the region.

“It was a real good experience. I got to know the people I would be working with in the next couple of years. So, I met an awful lot of them, friendly faces. I’m already looking forward to my next regional swim meet.”