James Wilmot, 12, and Kaikea Roe, 12, led the contingent of eight Mokihana Aquatics swimmers at the 23rd Charles “Sparky” Kawamoto ABC Meet in Hilo over the weekend. Wilmot and Roe both posted perfect meets, showing improvements in all of
James Wilmot, 12, and Kaikea Roe, 12, led the contingent of eight Mokihana Aquatics swimmers at the 23rd Charles “Sparky” Kawamoto ABC Meet in Hilo over the weekend.
Wilmot and Roe both posted perfect meets, showing improvements in all of the events they swam at the competition.
Wilmot finished with three first finishes, two second-place finishes and a fifth place, while Roe had four firsts, a second, and a third place.
Wilmot’s biggest accomplishment came in the 100 Breaststroke where he slashed almost 16 seconds off his previous swim, stopping the clock at 1:40.20.
Roe’s biggest achievement was in the 100 Backstroke where he stopped the clock at 1:29.58 for a 7.49-second improvement, good enough for a HI-A time standard.
“These two swimmers had the meet of their short swimming careers,” said Mokihana Aquatics coach Orlando “O” Anaya in an e-mail. “It was obvious that one, or the other, would be our Mokihana ‘Swimmer of the Meet.’ James had 100 percent best times, knocking off some insane improvements. Kaikea became our newest AA, or Invitational level, swimmer, making two AA times and improving in all races, one being a first-time race.”
Roe’s AA swims came in the 100 Freestyle where he stopped the clock at 1:12.34 for a first finish and a 5.19-second improvement. His other AA swim came in the 50 Freestyle where he stopped the clock at 32.29 for another first finish and a 2.05 improvement.
“While both swimmers were perfect, one of Kaikea’s times was a ‘new’ time, so there is nothing to compare, yet he is Kaua‘i’s newest swimmer to be invited to a major Invitational meet,” Anaya said. “They were both outstanding, but all of our swimmers were great.”
William Gonzalez, 8, posted a first, second and third with improvements in all three eligible swims, his greatest coming in the 50 Freestyle where he posted a 2.87-second improvement.
Karly Gonzalez, 11, finished with five first places and a second, posting her greatest achievement in the 100 Freestyle where she shaved 5.62 over her previous swim.
“Karly and Tommy (William) were spot-on in our coaches’ expected outcomes, as were Sara Funtanilla and Luke Roberts,” Anaya said.
Funtanilla, 8, finished with a first place in her 50 Freestyle where she posted a 2.57 improvement.
Roberts finished with three first finishes, one coming in the 50 Freestyle where he posted a 4.30 improvement.
Kamalani Brun, 14, held her own, posting an improvement in the 50 Freestyle where she cut 0.47 off her previous swim and Micah Kamuela Nobriga-Ferris, 13, finished with a 14.99 improvement in his second-place finish in the 200 Individual Medley.
Anaya said above the personal achievements made by the Mokihana Aquatics swimmers, his most moving moment of the meet came at the end of the first day when a stranger from one of the Big Island clubs approached him.
“Congratulations on how well your swimmers are doing,” Anaya said, relaying the strangers’ words. “I especially wanted to say that I admire so much how your swimmers make such an effort to shake everyone’s hand when the races are over. You just don’t see that, anymore.”
Anaya said Mario Gonzalez overhead that comment and said, “Coach, that means more than anything else.”
Anaya said with the meet behind them, Mokihana Aquatics will be concentrating on its Spring Break Learn to Swim classes that start March 13.
