LIHUE — Mokihana Aquatics swimmer Leigh Idica had one state qualifying swim in her nine events Sunday at the Kauai High School pool. The sole HI AAA was all it took to earn the 10-year-old her second Swimmer of the
LIHUE — Mokihana Aquatics swimmer Leigh Idica had one state qualifying swim in her nine events Sunday at the Kauai High School pool.
The sole HI AAA was all it took to earn the 10-year-old her second Swimmer of the Meet honor, rising to the top of the nine swimmers vying for qualifying swims for the upcoming Sakamoto meet during the two-day meet which wrapped up Sunday.
“When everything was said and done, Kamaira Silva and Leigh gave me a headache,” said Mokihana Aquatics coach Orlando “O” Anaya. “Kamaira has six best times over two days — more than anyone else. Leigh had five best times, her improvement is off the hook! She had eight HI AA times, and even made a HI AAA state qualifying time. Congratulations to Leigh Ididca for her very first Swimmer of the Meet award. It was her state time that took her over the top. We are old school — only one can prevail.”
Through two days of swimming, Idica was a consistent second-place finisher, despite her impressive showing of five personal best times, and eight HI AA times. Her sole first place came in the 100 butterfly Sunday when she stopped the clock at 1:26.69 for her strongest showing, a 5.29 improvement over her seeded swim, and a HI AAA time standard.
Silva, 11, had a mixed bag, picking up six personal bests, the strongest showing coming in the 100 backstroke where she finished first by touching the wall at 1:21.49 for a 6.21 improvement.
Tyler Tanaka, 11, had a personal goal of attaining a HI AAA time in any one of his 10 events. But that goal eluded him on this outing, his strongest of four personal bests coming in the 100 backstroke (1:20.96) for a 1.27 improvement and in the 200 individual medley (2:48.55) for a 1.28 improvement.
Ian Raquel, 10, punched in his personal best in the 100 breaststroke (1:56.42) where he shaved 0.32 off his seeded swim, and Chloe Inouye, shining at the recent Mamizuka long course meet on Oahu, maintained her conditioning with a close-to-personal best in the 50 backstroke (40.10) where she was just .09 second shy of besting her seeded swim.
Maddie Hoesel, 13, was another Mokihana Aquatics swimmer recovering from the Mamizuka meet. But that did not stop her from claiming two personal bests, her strongest showing coming in the 200 butterfly Sunday where she touched the wall at 2:58.38 for a 7.51 improvement. Her second personal best also emerged Sunday in the 200 breaststroke where she touched the wall at 3:28.77, a 1.32 improvement.
Katy Hoesel, 11, followed, securing a personal best in the 100 backstroke (1:55.62).
Alfred Auger, 9, picked up five personal best, his strongest showing coming in the 200 IM where he finished second on a 3:40.14 swim, but bettering his seeded swim by 6.57. He also showed strong in the 100 freestyle (1:27.14) for a 5.73 improvement, and polished a 4.86 improvement in the 100 fly (2:03.07).
“Alfred is still pushing the limit,” Anaya said. “I said it before, and I will say it again, ‘Watch that boy. He could be the next great swimmer from Kauai.’”
Silas Adams, 8, might have been the youngest swimmer on the deck, but showed a 15.19 improvement in the 200 freestyle (5:06.40), a 6.26 improvement in the 50 freestyle (1:08.74), and a 5.70 improvement in the 100 freestyle (2:38.33).
