Three more races for Rezne

CNMI swimmer Rezne Wong will compete in three more events in the 2011 Summer Universiade in Shenzhen, China, next week.

In an email to Saipan Tribune before he left for China with Northern Marianas Amateur Sports Association president Michael White and fellow athlete Matthew Mancao last Friday, Wong said besides his favorite events—the 200m breaststroke and 200m individual medley—he will also compete in the 50m and 100m breaststroke and 100m butterfly races.

The swimming tournament in the International University Sports Federation (FISU)-sanctioned Universiade or World University Games will take place from Aug. 14 to 19 at the newly built Natatorium of Universiade Center in Universiade New Town, Longgang District.

Wong’s first event will be the 200m breaststroke where he will try to reset the CNMI record (2:23.35) he made just last month during the 14th FINA World Championships in Shanghai, China. The qualifying heats in the 200m breaststroke and other races will begin at 9am, while the finals is set for 6pm.

The CNMI swimmer will have a one-day rest after his first event and will return to the pool on Aug. 16 for the 100m breaststroke race. Wong also holds the CNMI mark in the 100m breaststroke at 1:08.79, recording the feat on July 26, 2009, during the 13th FINA World Championships in Rome, Italy.

The fourth day of the competition (Aug. 17) will be the busiest one for Wong, as he is schedule to race in two events—the 100m butterfly and the 200m IM.

“It will be the hardest day,” the 20-year-old swimmer said.

Wong owns the Commonwealth record in the 200m IM (2:10.18), which he also posted just recently during the World Championships in Shanghai. Alex Screen is the CNMI record-holder in the 100m butterfly (59.00 seconds) and Wong is attempting to break the 24-year mark (Aug. 25, 1987).

The University of Hawaii-Manoa swim team member will complete his World University Games stint on Aug. 18 via the 50m breaststroke race. Wong’s best time in this event is 31.62 seconds (July 28, 2009), which is also the current CNMI mark.

In the World University Games, Wong will be pitted against collegiate athletes (18 to 27 years old) from Europe, Asia, America, Africa, and Oceania. It will be the first time that the CNMI has entries to the Summer Universiade.

The other Commonwealth bet, Mancao, is entered in the 160-kilometer road race, which is scheduled for Aug. 12. Incidentally, Mancao was the first CNMI athlete to attend a FISU-organized event after joining the FISU Forum in Vigo, Spain, last year.