LIHUE — Alana Tamashiro, 13, and Luke Roberts, 12, had perfect meets for the Mokihana Aquatics over the weekend at the Kauai High School pool. Both Mokihana Aquatics swimmers posted improvements in each of the events they swam in during
LIHUE — Alana Tamashiro, 13, and Luke Roberts, 12, had perfect meets for the Mokihana Aquatics over the weekend at the Kauai High School pool.
Both Mokihana Aquatics swimmers posted improvements in each of the events they swam in during the two days of competition, which featured seven swim clubs from around the state and an individual swimmer from Pennsylvania.
During the mix, Roberts picked up a gold medal in the 50 butterfly event, touching at 41.17 for a 1.74-second improvement in his seeded time. His best showing came in the 200 individual medley (2:50.45) where he slashed 16.50 off his seeded swim.
Tamashiro, swimming through six events over two days, copped gold in five of her six events while posting improvements in each swim.
Her third place finish came in the 100 back, where despite touching with a .98 improvement (1:21.18), she lost to Makamae Auwae (1:13.37) of the Warrior Aquatic Club of the Big Island and teammate Gracie Stokes (1:18:13).
Tamashiro’s best swim came in the 200 IM where she hit gold on a 2:46.25 swim while taking 3.82 off her seeded swim.
Alana Cayabyab, 10, recently making a splash at the Long Course championships, was joined by Sara Funtanilla, 11, in having a near-perfect meet. Cayabyab dropped just one swim in 10 events. Her best swim came in the 50 fly where she finished eighth, but slashed 15.63 off her seeded time.
Funtanilla posted improvements in nine of her 10 swims, her only non-improvement came in the 100 back where she finished seventh. Her best swim came in the 100 free where she touched at 1:15.03 for second place with a 6.14 improvement, losing to Tatem Foster of the Hawaii Swim Club by less than two ticks.
Coach Orlando “O” Anaya said the Fun Meet, which started Saturday and wrapped up Sunday, was the 25th anniversary of the meet, which featured many off-island swim clubs as well as Aliyah Cabebe, who braved the trip from the Valley Isle Saturday after her coach fell ill and couldn’t make the trip.
Anaya said another swimmer from Pennsylvania, visiting with family on vacation, was scheduled to hit the water during the Sunday competition.
Joining the Mokihana Aquatics swimmers, participating clubs included Swim Kauai Aquatics, which wrapped up its season last week with its home meet at the YMCA pool, Pearl City Aquatics, whose swimmers Aimee and Reyna Iwamoto joined mother Andrea Iwamoto in a taiko threesome; the Warrior Aquatic Swim Club; Hawaii Swim Club; and Hilo Aquatic Club.
The meet was dedicated to the late Bill Smith.
Visit www.mokihanaaquatics.com for more information.
• Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 245-0453 or dfujimoto@ thegardenisland.com.
