NMISF hopeful of new pool at Oleai

On the heels of the CNMI national swimming team’s exceptional performance in last week’s 20th FINA World Championships in Fukuoka, Japan, the Northern Mariana Islands Swimming Federation is optimistic that more records would fall once a swimming pool is built at the Oleai Sports Complex.

“There is no doubt that our swimmers would be doing better if they had a training venue that met even the most basic standards. Our swimmers need to have the proper pool conditions which includes a 50m length, ability to do turns and a starting block entry. Practicing with these pool features is critical to improving their overall performance. Hopefully we’ll see a new pool at the Oleai Sports Complex in the near future,” said NMISF vice president John Hirsh. 

Hirsh was part of the CNMI delegation to the short course World Aquatics Championships in Japan along with swimmers Isaiah Aleksenko, Jakey Deleon Guerrero, Maria Batallones, and Shoko Litulumar. Hiroyuki Kimura served as head coach, while Christian Villacrusis was his able lieutenant. 

In all, 12 new records were set by the swimming team. Aleksenko reset both age group and national records in the  50m and 100m backstroke and  50m and 100m butterfly, while Batallones is now the 15-16 and national record-holder in the 50m breaststroke.

Aleksenko, Batallones, Deleon Guerrero, and Litulumar also combined to obliterate the national record in the 100mx4 mixed medley relay and 100mx4 mixed free relay.

“Our swimmers did very well with several personal best times, age group and national records. It’s always exciting that our NMI swimmers are able to compete with the world’s best. I know it’s inspirational for them! While they may not be competing with them in the same heats, all swimmers warm up together in the same pool and this is very exciting and motivating,” added Hirsh. 

Kimura, for his part, said having no actual swimming pool to train in is really a big disadvantage for the CNMI’s national swimming team.

“In our situation here because there is no swimming pool, almost everything becomes different. Just one example, the depth. Expert swimmers go deep after a turn because it is faster. However our pool is not deep enough.It means we cannot properly train even the  basic turn action here.”

The Tsunami Saipan Swimming Center founder and head coach further explained. 

“The width of each lane is also very important for expert swimmers. Official pool and our pool are so different. Feeling and sense of width is such a delicate issue for swimmers.” 

That’s why Kimura couldn’t help but admire CNMI swimmers’  resourcefulness in training without an official pool and how fast they adapted after arriving in Japan.

“We arrived at Fukuoka many days before the World Championships this time, we repeated and repeated our training to acclimatize our body to the official pool. So yes, if we have a swimming pool here, our results will expectedly be at a higher level.”

At the end of the day, Kimura said Aleksenko, Batallones, Deleon Guerrero, and Litulumar showed their very best performance in the World Championships. 

“If it would be a short course meet, we would not have much of a different situation from here. But in a long course meet, it will be an entirely different situation. Our goal remains the same. Just aim higher. Faster times, more FINA points, winning against rivals, that sort of thing.”

A 50m Olympic-size swimming pool at the Oleai Sports Complex is part of the $21.2-million grant the CNMI government received from the U.S. Economic Development Administration back in 2021.