Tsunami Saipan unveils new swimmer rankings

The new year brings new individual rankings for Tsunami Saipan Swimming Center.

Head coach Hiroyuki “Hiro” Kimura said the 2024 Tsunami Athlete Course Roster is made up the Sensyu Class, Jyun-sensyu Class, Ikusei Class, and Beginner Class. All are based on two recent time trials.

The Sensyu Class, made up of the club’s top swimmers with swims of BB or above U.S. time standard, include Isaiah Aleksenko, Kevin Guerrero, Kean Pajarillaga, Kouki Watanabe, Justin Ma, Richard Zhao, Shoko Litulumar, Maria Batallones, Sari Barman, and Maria Guerrero.

Jyun-sensyu class, meanwhile, are candidates for off-island competition and have reached B time and U.S. time standard in their swims. They include Haoyang Song, Simon Shindo, Seung Woo Lee, Xing Chen Wang, Seung Min Jang, Leo Li, Dong Min Jang, Catalina Frink, Eva Shin, Sera Guerrero, Yoon Min Cho, and Gwen Retardo,

Ikusei Class are Tsunami Saipan members preparing for swim competition and should’ve completed training on the four strokes—freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, and backstroke.

Members of this class are Younsuh Lee, Yubo Lin, Yesuh Lee, Andrea Ryu, and Lucy Shin.

Beginner Class is the first rung for prospective Tsunami Saipan swimmers and members just need to complete a fitness course. This class is composed of Apollo Arriola, Daniel Yu, Yo Suzuki, Chris Arriola, Angelo Pepito, Jonathan Park, Hye Yun Kim, and Xing Yu Wang.

In the team ranking, the Tsunami Saipan coach said Aleksenko topped the butterfly, backstroke, and freestyle with Watanabe taking the plum in the breaststroke

“Kouki is still 15 years old. The CNMI really can expect great result from this young athlete in the future,” said Kimura.

As for his favorite swimmers among the bunch, Kimura said it would have to be Richard Zhao.

“Richard comes to practice a lot. The more practice, the better a swimmers will be. Richard is a perfect example of that. I really recommend to remember his name. Maria Guerrero also has a promising future. She has already become a rival to senior swimmers,” he said.

Other swimmers to keep an eye on are Catalina Frink, Simon Shindo, Sera Guerrero, and Gwen Retardo, especially the latter, as according to Kimura, she’s still 9 years old.

“We have great expectations for her future. Also, we are looking forward to the future of Xing Yu Wang, who is the youngest in the athlete course. She is 6 years old now.”

Aside from the four classes, Tsunami Saipan also has three support swimmers entering the 2024 season and they are former national swimmers Andrew Nunez, Julia Jinang, and Michelle Chen.

Kimura said Nunez, Jinang, and Chen have retired from competition, but will continue to help during meets and time trials.

“Andrew, Julia, and Michelle will still stay with us, but their competitive careers have ended. Thank you for your hard work for such a long time. Tsunami Saipan will support you forever in your new journeys,” he said.

Kensuke conducts special training

Kimura and Tsunami Saipan were also graced recently by the presence of former national swimmer Kensuke Kimura, who is also the coach’s son.

While on holiday back home, the 2014 Oceania Championships bronze medalist conducted a weeklong special training camp for the club, now dubbed Tsunami Athlete Course.

The younger Kimura swam for four years with the Chukyo University swimming team, a Division 1 school and one of the strongest teams in Japan.

“Tsunami swimmers were given extremely hard training much like in the college team level. Kensuke will also be there to support Isaiah at Junior Olympic at the end of this month.”

In all, four swimmers completed the Tsunami Athlete Course conducted by Kensuke Kimura—Nunez, Jinang, Chen, and Ayumi Obligacion.

Coach Hiro thanked all the swimmers and their parents for a successful 2023 season. Tsunami Saipan also extended their acknowledgement to the Northern Marianas Sports Association, Northern Mariana Islands Swimming Federation, Pacific Islands Club Saipan, Aqua Resort Club, Kinpachi Resturant, and the Tan family.