Twelve athletes from Swim Kauai Aquatics worked together to clinch 5th place overall at the 2016 Al Minn Invitational swim meet held in Kailua, Oahu last weekend. This is the first time that SKA has participated in the invitational meet,
Twelve athletes from Swim Kauai Aquatics worked together to clinch 5th place overall at the 2016 Al Minn Invitational swim meet held in Kailua, Oahu last weekend.
This is the first time that SKA has participated in the invitational meet, hosted by Aulea Swim Club, which brought together 11 teams from across the state.
“The kids swam really well and showed a great deal of improvement in their times and race strategies” said head coach Curt Colby. “It was a great venue and the team was able to all stay together for some extra team bonding as well.”
Several Swim Kauai swimmers touched the wall first to win their events. Kai Norman, 12, lead the way with four first place finishes. His success came in the 50-yard (29.16) and 100-yard butterfly (1:05.35) events, the 50-yard freestyle (26.47) and 200-yard freestyle (2:05.58).
Norman also placed second in the 100-yard freestyle (57.72) and wrapped up the meet in third place overall for boys 11-12.
Hayley Ka’eo, 13, clinched her first place finish in the 50-yard freestyle as well with a time of 25.98. She pocketed second place in the 100-yard freestyle (55.69) and 100-yard butterfly (1:02.74), third in the 100-yard breaststroke (1:13.48) and 200-yard individual medley (2:24.17). Ka’eo finished the Invitational in second place overall for the girls 13-14 division.
Akira Williams, 15, who will be swimming for Kauai High School in the upcoming KIF season, grabbed first place in the 200-yard individual medley event with his time of 2:03.97. He also won second place in the 100-yard backstroke (1:00.23) and 100-yard freestyle (50.09), and third in the 50-yard freestyle (23.26). Williams placed third overall for the boys open division, ages 15 and up.
Malia Splittstoesser, 14, took the 500-yard freestyle event in the girls 13-15 division with a time of 5:38.68. She had a perfect meet with improved times in all 7 races.
10-year-old Trevyn Nishimura also placed third overall in his age group with all of his swims placing in the top eight over the course of the two day meet. He secured third in the 50-yard butterfly (34.43), 100-yard freestyle (1:07.45) and 200-yard freestyle (2:26.88).
Other top swims include: freestyle sprinter Xaverira Rodriguez,14, clinched second place in the 50-yard freedstyle (26.18); Neveah Ibanez, 11, placed fourth in the 100-yard breaststroke (1:18.77); Chloe Inouye, 10, finished sixth in the 50-yard breaststroke (41.10); Julia Safford, 14, with a time of 2:46.06 in the 200-yard breaststroke.
Isaac Vallance, 13, had a perfect meet with all new personal best times and placed as high as eighth in his 500-yard freestyle; Ryden Williams, 13, placed eighth in the 200-yard backstroke; Mahina Dameron pocketed a state time cut for her time in the 100-yard butterfly (1:28.32, 13th place).
