WAIMEA — Kamalani Brun, 12, and Sarah Johnson, 15, posted perfect meets following two days of competition at the 20th Mokihana Aquatics Fun Meet. Competing in a field of seven swim clubs from across the state and California, the two
WAIMEA — Kamalani Brun, 12, and Sarah Johnson, 15, posted perfect meets following two days of competition at the 20th Mokihana Aquatics Fun Meet.
Competing in a field of seven swim clubs from across the state and California, the two Mokihana Aquatics swimmers showed improvements in all of the events they entered at the Waimea swimming pool.
Brun chalked up two first-place finishes, two second- and two third-place finishes in her two-day showing, her biggest improvements coming in the Girls 11-12 100 Individual Medley (1:36.28Y) and the Girls 11-12 100 Free (1:21.19Y) where she gained improvements of 9.33 and 9.17, respectively. In those events, Brun finished second in the IM event and third in the Freestyle event, a clear testament to the strong field of swimmers at the meet sanctioned by USA Swimming.
Johnson, swimming in the Girls 18 Under class, posted a solid mid-field showing while posting her biggest gains in the Girls 18U 200 IM (3:30.09Y) and the Girls 18U 100 Back (1:45.57Y) where she improved 11.82 and 11.21, respectively. She finished the 200 IM in 8th place and 7th in the 100 Back. Her best performance overall was in the 100 Fly (1:40.50Y) where she finished fifth with a 2.83 improvement in the event.
Yasmine Ware, 11, one of the Mokihana stronger performers, had a near-perfect meet, failing to improve in just one event out of 10 entered. She also finished with just one first place, a second place and a handful of third- and fourth- place finishes.
But her biggest feat came in the Girls 11-12 50 Backstroke (31.16Y) where she bested top-seeded Lindsey Engel of Coto de Caza and posted a 1.14 improvement in her sole first-place swim.
Ware’s biggest personal improvement came in the Girls 11-12 200 IM (2:33.70Y) where she gained almost eight seconds. She finished with qualifying times in all but one of her events.
Similarly, Kaitlyn Jarry, 15, had a near-perfect meet with five improvements in six events entered. Her biggest improvement came in the Girls 18 Under 200 IM (2:41.20Y) where she finished seventh overall, but posted a personal best improvement of 4.63.
Ryan Valenciano, 13, showed improvements in four of the six events entered, but ended the meet with five first finishes, his best event coming in the Boys 13-14 100 Free (1:06.36Y) where he finished with a 2.32 improvement for a HI-A time and a first finish.
Mokihana Aquatics team leader Kaitlin Santos, 13, also posted a near-perfect meet with improvements in five of the six events she entered. She also earned just one first finish in six events, but was swimming in the 18 and Under division for all but one event. Her biggest gains came in the Girls 18 Under 100 Free (1:00.06Y) and the Girls 18 Under 200 IM (2:38.25Y) where she posted improvements of 2.83 and 2.34, respectively.
Other Mokihana Aquatics swimmers who posted strong showings included Kesia Anaya, 15, swimming in the Girls 18 Under class, Aaleiyah Chinen, 12, who posted a strong 24.70 improvement in the 50 Breast (50.39Y HI-B) for a second finish, Alex Croydon, 10, who shaved 11.69 off her 100 Free (1:31.16Y) event for a first finish and a HI-B time.
Scott Emberson, 15, posted a 24.48 improvement in the Boys 18 Under 100 Breast (1:25.19Y) for a third finish, but gaining a HI-A time. Kyle Riddle, 10, posted an 11.80 improvement in the Boys 10 Under 100 IM (1:44.59Y) for a third place, but gaining a HI-A time, one of three he earned at the meet.
Jaycie Murata, 11, marked a 16.12 improvement in the Girls 11-12 100 Free (1:23.88Y) for a HI-B time, one of two she picked up at the meet.
Linea Koehler finished in combined heats, but posted strong improvements in the Girls 13-14 Free (1:20.17Y) and 200 IM (3:18.73Y) for gains of 4.67 and 4.55, respectively.
Jazmin Kaleiohi, 8, swimming in the Girls 10 Under field, posted her biggest gain in the 100 Free (1:50.91Y) for a 9.27 gain.
Swim clubs participating in the Fun Meet included the Coto de Caza Coyotes, the Kamehameha Swim Club, Lahaina Swim Club, Maui Swim Club, Sun-shine Swim Club and an unattached California club, along with Mokihana Aquatics.
