Mokihana Aquatics’ Alana Cayabyab, 10, made a splash at the 14th annual Bill Smith Invitational swim meet on Oahu Sunday. The 10-year-old finished the two-day meet by improving in nine of 10 events at the Veterans Memorial Center, and picking
Mokihana Aquatics’ Alana Cayabyab, 10, made a splash at the 14th annual Bill Smith Invitational swim meet on Oahu Sunday.
The 10-year-old finished the two-day meet by improving in nine of 10 events at the Veterans Memorial Center, and picking up a second-place finish in one event, the 100 Butterfly.
“On a weekend when heat and humidity were at the forefront, we witnessed something which was nothing short of — let me think, now —nuts!,” said Mokihana Aquatics coach Orlando ‘O’ Anaya. “Alana swam 10 races with nine top 10 finishes in the 10 & Under age group, the second biggest group next to the 11-12 Girls. Some of her events had 60 swimmers competing.”
In her silver medal performance, Cayabyab touched the wall during the 100 butterfly at 1 minute, 15 seconds, slicing 4.20 seconds off her seeded time.
“Alana went nearly five seconds faster in the 100 fly and missed a zone time by only a little more than a second,” Anaya said. “Silver medal. Most insane.”
Her best swim came in the 200 freestyle (2:31), where she chopped 4.87 seconds off her previous swim.
She also took 4.81 second off her seeded swim in the 100 breaststroke (1:28) and 2.20 seconds off her 200 Individual Medley (2:45).
“Alana swam exceptionally well,” Anaya said. “She handled herself with humility and class. She stole the show. Now, everyone knows that Alana Cayabyab is a swimmer to watch — a star on the rise.”
