PUHI — Three Swim Kauai Aquatics athletes sported perfect records following Saturday’s home meet at the Kauai ‘Ohana YMCA pool that sprouted a new start and timing system.
Asher Griffith, 14, found three new HI-A time standards among his all new swims. His best showing came in the 500 freestyle where he touched the wall at 6 minutes, 27.63 seconds.
“Chloe Inouye, 12, was impressive with a 1:06.91 swim in the 100 butterfly for the 11-12 girls perfect meet,” said SKA coach Curt Colby. “And, Trevyn Nishimura, 12, coming home for a break from the Kamehameha Schools, achieved a perfect meet including an impressive 59.42 showing in the 100 freestyle to break the minute mark for the first time.”
Nine swimmers experienced the competition water for the first time, including Kai Cornejo, 10, who swam through four events in the girls 10-and-under class including the 50 butterfly. Jesse, 13, and Gia, 11, Goo both worked the breaststroke and freestyle. Peyton Koerte, 5, was one of the youngest watermen and swam 25s of each stroke.
River Loods, 13, found good swims in the 50 and 100 freestyle. Kiani Ortiz, 12, swam four events, securing a HI-B time in the 100 freestyle when she touched the wall at 1:17.76.
Kona Rasmussen, 11, found an HI-A time standard in the 50 freestyle, touching at 33.70. Kiele Yamamoto, 8, broke the water for the first time with her top swim in the 25 freestyle where she touched at 23.00 seconds.
Three SKA athletes found HI-AA time standards in the mile swim of 1,650 yards: Lucas McSweeny, 13 (19:36.20), Ian Raquel, 13 (20:35.15) and Ryden Williams, 15 (19:11.93).
Pulama Kaeo, 11, was one of two swimmers making new state championship qualifying time standards. Kaeo placed in the 50 and 200 freestyle swims on touches of 27.82 and 2:13.88 respectively for her new qualifying marks. Taimana Keldsen, 10, found a new state cut in the 100 breaststroke on a 1:35.10 swim.
Sadly, two of the SKA watermen bid farewell to Hawaii.
“For two of our swimmers, Micah 12, and Isaac Vallance, 15, this was their last meet with us,” Colby said. “They’re moving on to Colorado. They and their ‘ohana will be dearly missed.”
Founded in 2005, Swim Kauai Aquatics is an educational entity and year-round, age-group swim club that teaches swimming skills to youth and encourages physical fitness and life skills through USA Swimming organized competition. SKA is based at the Kauai ‘Ohana YMCA and currently serves 100 youth ages 5-18 years old.
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Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
