For Tyler Tanaka, two-tenths of a second is a big deal. Coming off the Mokihana Aquatics timed trials qualifier at the Waimea Pool, the 10-year-old Tanaka had three times in the manually-timed event which wrapped up Saturday, consolidating a normal
For Tyler Tanaka, two-tenths of a second is a big deal.
Coming off the Mokihana Aquatics timed trials qualifier at the Waimea Pool, the 10-year-old Tanaka had three times in the manually-timed event which wrapped up Saturday, consolidating a normal two-day event into one day.
“We run our meets manually,” said Mokihana Aquatics Coach Orlando “O” Anaya. “For Tyler, we had three times in the 100 freestyle representing the three timers on the lane. Those timers did a good job as all his times are very close (1:24.62, 1:24:65, 1:24.70). Yet, his time was posted as 1:24.67.”
The posted time was .02 second off his actual time of 1:24.65.
“So what?” Anaya said. “It is .02. Big deal? Yeah, it is a big deal because that .02 second is faster than you can blink an eye, or snap a finger. It is big because the 10 and Under Boys HI-AA time is 1:24.65. With the correction, Tyler gets only his second HI-AA time.”
Anaya said the latest time trials were “trying” to say the least, consolidating a normal two-day event into one day.
“While swimmers were not given the best opportunity to succeed, they did just that,” Anaya said. “Tyler Tanaka was looking good — very good.”
Ian Raquel, despite having a disqualification event, was named Swimmer of the Meet.
“Normally, you cannot expect to ever be Swimmer of the Meet if you have a DQ,” Anaya said. “But Ian did it with great starts, tremendous improvement in times and techniques, and sheer guts and determination. He showed humility in his success, a classic Mokihana trait.”
Raquel, 9, had his greatest show in the 100 breaststroke, touching the wall on a 2:20.70 swim, an improvement of 44.37 seconds. He also posted big improvements in the 100 backstroke (1:53.29), the 50 breaststroke (1:04.23) and the 100 freestyle (1:33.43) where he posted improvements of more than 20 seconds in each swim.
The Hoesel sisters, Katy and Maddie, were serious contenders for Swimmer of the Meet honors, Anaya said.
“Katy has tremendous improvement with eight of 10 best times, and Maddie, finishing seven of 10 best times, makes two new HI-AA Invitational times,” Anaya said. “But coaches do not only look at the paper results. There is more.”
Katy, 10, posted improvements of more than 30 seconds in the 100 backstroke (2:08.03) and the 100 butterfly (2:34.62) while Maddie, 12, secured her HI-AA swims in the 50 butterfly (33.81), the 100 backstroke (1:16.49), and the 50 freestyle (30.58).
The qualifying meet served to hone four swimmers for the 35th Harry Mamizuka Invitational Meet on April 25 and 26 at the Manoa Valley District Park.
Maddie Hoesel, Tyler Tanaka will be joined by Nevaeh Ibanez, 10, and Kamaira Silva, 10, at this meet.
