Yasmine Ware, a swimmer with Swim Kaua‘i Aquatics, broke a state record at the Age Group Short Course Championships on the Big Island. Orlando Anaya, coach with the Mokihana Aquatics program, was excited to announce the news of the swimmer
Yasmine Ware, a swimmer with Swim Kaua‘i Aquatics, broke a state record at the Age Group Short Course Championships on the Big Island.
Orlando Anaya, coach with the Mokihana Aquatics program, was excited to announce the news of the swimmer in the 11-12 age group.
Ware, who has progressively grown by consistently leading her age group, finished the 50 Yard Backstroke on a 27.79 swim over her seeded 28.45 time, according to results posted to the Hawai‘i Swim Web site.
The 27.79 swim broke the state record for that age group set on Mar. 21, 1998, by Maui’s Chelsea Nagata who swam the course in 28.10 according to records posted at Hawai‘i Swim.
“Yasmine’s pretty much dominating the 11-12 Girls,” Anaya said. “With the state record, she’ll probably be high scorer for SKA because the state record earns double points.”
Ware, 12, is in third place in the individual scoring with 39 points following a two-way tie for the lead between Sarah Armstrong and Sydney Kimura who both have 47 points.
Also in the individual point standings, Kate Machorek of SKA posts three points in the Girls 11-12 age group.
Other SKA individual point winners include Bryson Baligad listed in seventh with 22 points for the 11-12 boys, Anaya Littlefield listed in sixth with 32 points in the 15-16 Girls, and Emma Rausch is in a three-way tie for 18th in the 15-16 Girls with four points.
Adding to her point collection, Ware finished first in the 100 Individual Medley (1:02:89) and the 100 Backstroke (1:01.12) and second in the 100 Butterfly. All four of these event earn her solid qualifying times.
“SKA has a big group down here with a lot of swimmers,” Anaya said. “A lot of them swim in relays which help get points.”
But his excitement was not limited to Ware’s performance as one of the Mokihana Aquatics swimmers, U‘i Hosaka finished sixth in the finals of one of her events.
“She started the qualifying seeded 11th and improved to the sixth spot going into the finals,” Anaya said. “In the finals, she posted an improvement on her time to finish sixth overall.”
Anaya said that accomplishment is phenomenal considering Hosaka is in her first year of swimming.
“Most of the coaches I spoke with could not believe U‘i is only a first-year swimmer,” Anaya said. “This was a goal she set before leaving for states — to make finals in an event.”
Prior to leaving for the Big Island, Anaya confided that event would be the 50 Free.
“U’i is poised to make history,” Anaya said in an e-mail. “Her best chance will be Monday when she swims her best race, the 50 Free. Getting into the finals in any race would be awesome, but if she makes it to the 50 Free, that would be spectacular because that is the race that everyone and their brother and sister, grandma and grandpa swims.”
•Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@kauaipubco.com
