When Evan Hamamoto hits the water at the Manoa Valley District Park, it will be the first time he’ll be competing in a long course. Hamamoto and Yasmine Ware, both swimmers for the Mokihana Aquatics community swim club, have been
When Evan Hamamoto hits the water at the Manoa Valley District Park, it will be the first time he’ll be competing in a long course.
Hamamoto and Yasmine Ware, both swimmers for the Mokihana Aquatics community swim club, have been confirmed as participants in the upcoming Harry M. Mamizuka Invitational Swim Meet April 27 to 29 on O‘ahu, said Mokihana swim coach Orlando “O” Anaya.
“We’re looking for exciting things from these two swimmers,” Anaya said in a phone conversation. “For Evan, this will be the first time he’ll be competing in a 50-meter Olympic-sized pool.”
Hamamoto, 12, qualified for five events with HIAA times and will splash two events for a total of seven events, Anaya said.
Anaya said Hamamoto has a lot of HI-A times, and under the Splash Rule, a swimmer can use two of the HI-A times to splash. The Mokihana Aquatics coach said Hamamoto is real close to HIAA times in the two events he splashed in — the 200 Free (3:07.49L) and the 100 Back (1:38.60L).
“For Yasmine, she’s been steadily improving, and it wouldn’t surprise me if she finishes in the top eight at this meet,” Anaya said. “She started out ranked 30 in her age group and has steadily progressed to where she’s in the top 12. There’s a real probability she may end up with some medals.”
Anaya said Ware qualified for all 10 of the events she’ll be participating in. He said she already had state qualifying times in six events and recently added four qualifying events by finishing with HIAA times.
The four events she added include the 100 Breast (1:54.48L), the 200 Individual Medley (3:41.18L), the 200 Free (3:13.33L) and the 100 Free (1:25.76L).
Anaya said the two swimmers will be familiarizing themselves with the long course in preparation for the state championships coming up in early June. He said both swimmers will be part of that competition as well as the upcoming Sakamoto meet on Maui, May 26.
“We’ll have a qualifying meet for the Sakamoto meet during the Mother’s Day weekend, then it’s the Sakamoto meet and the state championships,” Anaya said.
“Traditionally, we have never done well at the Mamizuka meet which is the first long course of the year,” Anaya said. “The kids have been off for a while. After this, there’s the Sakamoto meet on Maui and then the states.”
According to the Swim Kaua‘i Aqua-tics Web site, SKA will be sending 15 swimmers to the Mamizuka meet. Those swimmers include Matt Ross, Julian Schneider, Michelle Woltmon, Meaghan Simms, Alanna Reynolds, Tania Rames, Sarah Faraola, Nina Albano, Ryann Linthicum, Emma Rausch, Anya Littlefield, Jackson Littlefield, Makalii Pratt, Kate Machorek and Nick Krueger.
