Chloe Inouye, 11, finished with a perfect meet and attained new swim times, getting four new Pacific Northwest Regional Age Group Championship time standards Saturday when Swim Kauai Aquatics opened its 2018 season at the YMCA pool.
Inouye picked up her time standards in the 50 freestyle, stopping the clocks at 27.65 seconds, the 100 freestyle (1:01.54), the 50 butterfly (31.02), and the 100 individual medley (1:10.76).
“This was a great meet for her,” said SKA coach Curt Colby. “We rescheduled our Jan. 20 meet due to the false missile alert, and SKA swimmers finally got to kick off its 2018 season. It was worth the wait with swimmers getting some great times and qualifying swims. During the meet, we had swimmers who were trying to qualify for the sectionals meet, and the Pacific Northwest Regional Age Group meet to be contested in Seattle, Washington in mid- and late March.”
Colby said they also had swimmers looking for new AA and AAA times for off-island meets as well as the Summer State Championship meet in July.
Mehana Dameron, 11, and Hannah Hovland, 9, were among this field of swimmers enjoying their first competition.
Dameron punched in a 42.13 in the 50 freestyle to earn a B time standard. Hovland put in commendable swims in the 50 backstroke (1:16.39) and the 50 freestyle (1:03.20).
Joining Inouye in posting a perfect meet, Micah Vallance, 11, finished with improvements in all of his swims, led by performances in the 200 backstroke (2:52.51), the 200 freestyle (2:29.25), the 500 freestyle (6:46.24), and the 100 backstroke (1:26.96).
“He’s steadily approaching the AAA state qualifying times,” Colby said. “He hopes to get these qualifying time standards (as well as others) for this summer’s meet.”
Talen Koerte, 11, finished with three best times, picking up a state qualifying standard in the 50 backstroke where he touched the wall on a 34.16 swim. His other best times came in the 100 butterfly (1:18.05) and the 100 freestyle (1:07.33).
Silas Adams, 9, picked up best times in the 50 backstroke (58.2), 50 freestyle (45.80), and the 100 freestyle (1:43.37).
SKA new swimmer Katy Hoesel, 13, picked up best times in the 100 breaststroke (1:36.88) for a six-second drop, the 100 freestyle (1:16.31) for a seven-second drop, and the 50 freestyle (33.24) for a four-second time drop, and Kaolu Kaeo, 8, dropped times in the 50 backstroke (1:01.64,) and the 50 freestyle (1:01.64).
Maiha Kjeldsen, 7, picked up best times in the 25 breaststroke (33.54), the 50 freestyle (45.85), and the 25 freestyle (21.26) while her sister Taimana, 10, had times in the 100 breaststroke (1:46.62), the 50 breaststroke (48.06), and the 100 freestyle (1:23.82).
Xoxhiti Morales-Widmer, 7, picked up best times in the 25 breaststroke (40.48), the 25 freestyle (30.97), and the 50 backstroke (39.05). He was joined by sister Kiki, 7, who posted best times in the 25 breaststroke (40.48), the 25 butterfly (30.25), and the 25 freestyle (22.61).
Xoxhiti’s brother, Trevyn Nishimura, 12, rebounded from more than a week with the flu, to just miss the state qualifying standard in the 50 backstroke where he touched the wall at 35.09. He also got best times in the 200 freestyle (2:19.82), and the 500 freestyle (6:14.27).
Kohlton Sanchez, 8, picked up best times in the 50 freestyle (43.74), the 50 breaststroke (1:04.01), and the 100 freestyle (1:47.49), and the final swimmer with three best times of 10 swimmers was Kamaira Silva, 13, who picked up best times in the 100 breaststroke (1:20.22), the 100 freestyle (58.15), and the 50 freestyle (26.97).
Eli Adams, 11, picked up a new AA time standard in the 100 breaststroke (1:33.24). Other swimmers getting best times included Daisy Asai, 13, in the 100 butterfly (1:20.41), and the 100 freestyle (1:10.27), Ace Cayabyab, 7, nailing the 50 freestyle (54.97), Palama Kaeo, 11, getting the 50 backstroke (36.54), Chloe Pascual, 7, in the 50 freestyle (54.83) and the 25 backstroke (29.19).
Ahonui Perreira, 8, picked up best times in the 50 freestyle (41.97), and the 100 individual medley (1:49.93) while his brother Tematahira, 12, nailed a best time in the 100 breaststroke (1:32.02).
Julia Safford, 15, had a best time in the 200 freestyle (2:11.70), being joined by Sammy Stokes, 15, who posted her best time in the 50 freestyle (28.95), Issac Vallance, 15, in the 100 freestyle (53.83), and Ryden Williams, 14, getting a best time in the 100 freestyle (53.37).
The boys relay team of Jack Machorek, 17, Zach Safford, 18, Henry Scherer, 16, and Akira Williams, 16, was successful in qualifying for the 400 freestyle relay (3:23.73).
