Tsunami Saipan celebrates Isaiah’s latest achievement

Tsunami Saipan Swimming Center recently celebrated top swimmer Isaiah Aleksenko’s double bronze medals in the recent 47th Junior Olympic Cup at the Tokyo Aquatics Center in Japan.

“We celebrated Isaiah’s medal win with Tsunami Saipan members participating in the 2024 Micronesian Games in the Marshall Islands. It was a truly remarkable result. World Aquatics points (former FINA point) were also a career high for him. The 50m butterfly is 796 and the 100m butterfly is 791. Both got close to 800 points,” said Tsunami Saipan coach Hiroyuki Kimura on Aleksenko’s 100m butterfly swim of 51:98 last March 30 and 50m butterfly swim of 23.46 last March 29.

Kimura said Aleksenko’s times far exceeded his expectations as his 50m butterfly swim in the Junior Olympic Cup obliterated the old standard of 26.70 set by Rezne Wong in December 2012. His 100m butterfly, meanwhile, eclipsed his own record of 54.55 set in December 2022.

“Isaiah’s level is already beyond what the CNMI can handle. I’m really looking forward to his future,” he said.

After the fierce competition in the Junior Olympic Cup, Aleksenko participated in a week of practice with the Hosei University swim team, where former CNMI national swimmer and former Tsunami Saipan captain Juhn Tenorio belongs.

“Hosei University is a strong team in Division 1—both men’s and women’s—of the Japanese college league that has produced many Olympians and medalists. It looks like Isaiah had some great experience as well,” said Kimura.

Joining Aleksenko and Kimura in the celebration of the former’s stint in Junior Olympic Cup were Tsunami Saipan members bound for the 2024 Micronesian Games in the Marshall Islands.

“What we want to do in the Micronesian Games is to let the CNMI people know that the CNMI swim team is not the team which only has Isaiah. In the Micro Games there are many swimmers who can win medals!’ Tsunami Saipan swimmers’ goal is to win all gold medal and every swimmer wins a medal!” said Kimura.

Saipan Community School’s Richard Zhao and Marianas High School’s Justin Ma will each be making their national swim team debuts in the Marshall Islands, while Solomon Islands Pacific Games veterans Kouki Watanabe, also of MHS, and Kean Parjarillaga, who recently graduated from Grace Christian Academy, and of course Aleksenko are medal favorites in the Micro Games.

“Richard’s potential in breaststroke is very high, I believe he’ll be able to win some medals in breaststroke. Justin is growing rapidly and aims to win medals in freestyle and backstroke. Kouki has reached the finals in the individual event of Pacific Games, so he is definitely a gold medal candidate in the Micro Games. Kean will also aim for gold medals in all events he’ll be participating in. I’m sure Isaiah will conquer gold medals in all the events he will participate in as well,” said Kimura.

As for women swimmers, the Tsunami Saipan coach and many time CNMI national coach said Hopwood Middle School’s Sari Barman, Mt. Carmel School’s Maria Guerrero, and MHS’ Shoko Litulumar and Maria Batallones can also bag the CNMI multiple medals.

“Sari is a very talented swimmer. She was a little behind due to some circumstances, but she is now recovering. I am sure Sari will win a medal in the Micro Games. Maria is the youngest swimming team member in this Micro Games. I know she will be a rising star this Micro Games. She aims to become the youngest butterfly medalist in Micro Games history. Shoko should not lose in the backstroke which is her style 1 stroke against swimmers from other countries. I hope she does her best to win as many gold medals as possible. Maria is the CNMI’s strongest female swimmer. At the age of 15, she has already broken two CNMI national records for women. Maria is one of the top swimmers in Micronesia, so I want her to do her best and contribute to the NMI female team.”

Kimura said Tsunami Saipan swimmers’ stint in upcoming Micro Games will prove that the CNMI swim team is not a team that only has Isaiah.

“Winning a bronze medal in the medley relay in the Pacific Games is proof of that. Even if Isaiah is the only one who is fast, we definitely can’t get any medal on relay. We can’t win on relay unless we have four fast swimmers. Please know winning in relay is an amazing thing.”