SSC boasts strong finishes in International Meet

While the Saipan Swim Club fell short of taking the title during the recent 146 event, 10-team strong Saipan International Meet, the hometown tankers and 2005 Coach of the Year Michael Stewart performed well in front of the crowd of spectators at the KanPacific Pool in Marpi last weekend.

The girls were rocking in all of the age groups as the SSC got a lot out of the power-packed 9-10-year-old division’s Grace Kimball, who took second place finishes in the 50m freestyle (36.24), 200m freestyle (3:08.21), and 50m backstroke (46.75), third place finishes in the 50m breaststroke (53.76) and 100m breaststroke (1:52.32) and a fourth place tile touch in the 100m freestyle (1:26.06).

Nine-year-old Kensuke Kimura was on fire for the boys as he took the runner-up in the 50m freestyle (36.23), 100m freestyle (1:17.94), 200m freestyle (2:44.38), and 200m IM (3:15.77), while taking third in the 50m breaststroke (49.14) and the 100m breaststroke (1:44.62).

Kimura wasn’t the only tadpole with impressive swims as nine-year-old Angelo Jones took third in the 100m backstroke (2:00.75) and youngster Andrew Johnson took the bronze in the 200m freestyle with a time of 3:51.14.

The older kids recorded top times as well as 12-year-old Shane Jones took first place in the 50m butterfly (47.41), and the duo of Tatiana Calvo and Keanna Villagomez racked up a slew of points.

Eleven-year-old Calvo place third in the 50m freestyle (41.06), 200m freestyle (3:15.99), and the 100m breaststroke (2:02.65) while fellow preteen Villagomez took second in the 200m freestyle (3:21.13) and 100m backstroke (1:45.06), before taking third in the 100m freestyle (1:27.68) and 50m backstroke (47.87).

The girls continued their progress in the 13-14-year-old division as well with stars like Salyna Leon Guerrero and the Johnson sisters. Leon Guerrero took third in the 100m freestyle (1:16.31), 100m backstroke (1:30.62), and 200m breaststroke (3:37.99) to make a name for herself, while the dueling Johnsons went off on a point-finding mission.

Thirteen-year-old Sarah placed first in the 200m backstroke with a time of 3:16.58, bagged a string of seconds in the 100m freestyle (1:11.98), 200m freestyle (2:41.41), and the 100m backstroke (1:29.22), and took third in the 50m freestyle (32.78) and the 800m freestyle in the Open division with a time of 11:43.11.

Older sister Amanda Johnson didn’t do too shabby either as the 14-year-old placed first in the 100m butterfly (1:15.33) and 200m butterfly (2:58.84) second in both the 100m breaststroke (1:34.75) and 200m breaststroke (3:18.14), and took third in the taxing 400m IM with a time of 6:11.06.

The boys finally returned to the winners’ circle as standout Rezne Wong placed first in the 100m breaststroke (1:17.38) and the 200m breaststroke (2:47.11), but he continued with a runner-up in the 200m IM (2:29. 69), a pair of thirds in the 50m freestyle (1:01.30) and the 400m IM (5:25.26), and a fourth place finish in the 50m free despite a speedy time of 28.29.

Thirteen-year-olds Blair Nicholls and Shin Kimura each added to the point totals with third place finishes in the 200m freestyle (2:29.54) and 100m butterfly (1:55.64), respectively.

With Nina Mosley on the sidelines saving herself for the World Championships in Beijing next month, the load fell on 16-year-olds Minerva Cabrera and Nicole Calvo to carry the SSC in the 15-18-year-old division.

Cabrera was a machine, placing first in the 100m breaststroke (1:26.26), 200m breaststroke (3:09.30), 200m IM (2:53.34), and 400m IM (6:22.84), and taking second in the 50m freestyle (30.94) and the 100m freestyle (1:09.22).

Calvo boasted a number or top finishes as well by taking first place in the 100m backstroke (1:23.06), second in the 200m freestyle (2:36.80), 200m backstroke (2:56.09), and the Open division’s 800m freestyle (11:11.66), and third in both the 50m freestyle (32.83) and 100m freestyle (1:10.06).

The boys also performed well as longtime swim clubber Juan Camacho placed second in the 100m backstroke (1:11.86) and 200m backstroke (2:34.30) while younger brother Michael took third in the 200m backstroke (2:35.82) and fourth in the 100m backstroke (1:13.10).

Usually that would be enough from the local delegation, but this time around the SSC was bolstered by a strong showing of the Saipan Masters Nadadores. Under the guidance of Stewart, this small group of feisty fish has developed a healthy crop of adult swimmers.

Accomplished athlete and Saipan International School teacher Rachel Bandelin was the first to tap the tiles in the 50m butterfly with a time of 36.47 ahead of fellow Nads Carol Lynn Pierce (38.42) and Sibylla Leon Guerrero (40.78) to complete the sweep in the women’s division, but the men also did well.

President of the Northern Mariana Islands Triathlon Federation Dirk Sharer took second in the 200m freestyle (2:52.80) and third in the 50m freestyle (35.03), but inspirational athlete Gary de Guzman from the Marianas Resort and Spa brought smiles to all who know him by taking first in the 200m freestyle (2:44.49) and second place in the 50m butterfly (35.49).