Kensuke, Kai set records

Tsunami Swimming Center Saipan’s Kensuke Kimura and Kai Staal had their names written anew in the CNMI’s swimming record books after competing in last weekend’s Tsunami Saipan-Saipan Swim Club dual meet at the Kan Pacific Swimming Pool.

Kimura recorded two new marks in the boys’ 11 to 12 age group of last weekend’s meet.

First to fall last weekend was the boys’ 11 to 12 800m freestyle mark, as Kimura finished the race in 10 minutes, 5.85 seconds. Kimura bested by 18 seconds the previous record (10:23.35), which he himself set on October 18, 2008.

Kimura’s new age group record in the 800m freestyle swim got a four A mark in the US Swimming Standard Time. A four A time is the highest level in the National Age Group Times progression. It is equivalent to 97 percent of the National Top 16 Reportable Time, known as NRT Times or T16 Times

NRT represents a level that a swimmer must surpass to submit his name for consideration on the annual Top 16 list. The annual rankings (short course and long course) are published in Swimming World magazine and each qualifier receives a certificate of recognition from USA Swimming. Swimmers earning a NRT Time are in the Top 1 percent of American Age Group swimmers.

Kimura’s second record-breaking swim came in the 200m breaststroke, timing in at 3:00.46. Again, the 11-year-old swimmer broke his own mark by almost two seconds. His new record received a triple A mark, which is equal to 93 percent of NRT.

\About two months ago, Kimura also crushed two marks in his age group during the SSC-hosted Heptathlon Swim Meet.

The Saipan Community School student timed in at 4:52.68 in the 400m freestyle event to eclipse the boys’ 11 to 12 age group record of 4:54.33, which he himself recorded on Nov. 22, 2008

In the 200m backstroke swim, Kimura smashed the seven-year record of Juan Camacho with the former posting 2:40.79. Camacho held the previous record of 2:48.56, which was made on March 21, 2002.

Staal was also on a record-breaking mood last weekend.

The Saipan International School swimmer, who set three records in the boys’ 13 to 14 age group in February, moved up to the 15 to 16 division in last weekend’s meet after turning 15, two months ago and still produced a record-shattering result.

He timed in at 31.26 seconds in the 50m backstroke, passing Juan Camacho’s 31.47 seconds set on June 29, 2006.

It was a morale-boosting performance for Staal, as the backstroke swim is his least favorite among the four strokes in swimming.

Staal holds six records in the 13 to 14 age group and Tsunami Saipan coach Hiro Kimura and president Stan Good are hoping the 15-year-old swimmer will continue his record-breaking performance in the higher age group.