Coach Kimura upbeat wards broke records

Tsunami Swimming Center Saipan coach Hiro Kimura is positive his swimmers shattered several records during Saturday’s SSC Heptathlon Virtual Swim Meet at the Kan Pacific Swimming Pool in Marpi.

“We are still waiting for official results from Saipan Swim Club. But based on our team timer, there were between six to eight CNMI records broken in the meet by Tsunami Saipan swimmers,” Kimura said.

Tsunami Saipan fielded 22 swimmers in the weekend meet. The list included Rezne Wong, Cooper Graf, Kai Staal, Shin and Kensuke Kimura, Kaisei, Kosei, and Ryosei Toda, Marystar, Ashley, and Salofi Welch, Kaito and Hiroto Yanai, Angel Marie Tan, Thea Minor, Angel De Jesus, Arthur Sondheim, Dylan Ackerman, Quintin Ramsey, Kentaro Kitagawa, and Moena Takagi.

Kaisei, Hiroto, and Graf had the most numbers of events in the virtual meet with seven apiece, while Ryosei, Kaito, Takumi, Kosei, Kensuke, Salofi, Ashley, Shin, and Ramsey had six each. Wong, Marystar, Tan, Ackerman, and De Jesus joined five events each, Minor and Sondheim competed in four events apiece, while Takagi and Kitagawa participated in three events each.

“I’m expecting Rezne, Kai, and Kensuke had broken some CNMI records,” Hiro said.

“Tsunami young swimmers were equally excellent. Many swimmers got BB or A time based on the U.S. time standard. BB is the qualifying time for the Guam Championships in May,” the Tsunami Saipan coach said.

Kimura added that with Tsunami Saipan’s young swimmers impressive times, they will be able to bring many swimmers to Guam tournaments this season.

“We are very excited about the results of the virtual meet, as these mean we can send many swimmers to Guam this year” Hiro said.

SSC official Lisa Kimball said the virtual meet results will not be out until next week, as they are still waiting for results from off-island participants.

Meanwhile, coach Kimura is reminding interested participants to register for the series of swim lessons that Tsunami Swimming Center Saipan and American Red Cross, CNMI Chapter will be conducting starting this weekend.

The first sessions of the swim lesson is set for Feb. 14. The next four will be held on Feb. 21, Feb. 28, March 14, and March 21 at the Kan Pacific Swimming Pool.

Registration will be held on Feb. 14 from 9:30am to 10am. Sessions will run from 10am to 11am.

Entrance fee is $30 per participant. For families, the second and succeeding members will pay only $25 each.

For more information or to register, contact Yuko Kimura at tsunamisaipan@yahoo.co.jp or call at 287-7842.