Swim Kauai Aquatics was the highest-scoring neighbor island team for the second consecutive year at the Bill Smith Invitational on Oahu last weekend. Twenty-one athletes represented their team and placed fourth, collecting the highest points in the team’s history
Swim Kauai Aquatics was the highest-scoring neighbor island team for the second consecutive year at the Bill Smith Invitational on Oahu last weekend.
Twenty-one athletes represented their team and placed fourth, collecting the highest points in the team’s history
“Swim for swim, we held our own, and kept raising the bar each and every swim,” said coach Billy Brown.
“Every single athlete contributed to the team. It was an incredible showing of what our team is all about,” he said.
The invitational meet, hosted in honor of Hawaii gold medalist Olympian Bill Smith, who recently passed away, is one of the biggest meets in Hawaiian age group swimming outside of the state championships.
Hundreds of young swimmers from throughout the state gather to race at the Veteran’s Memorial Aquatic Complex in Waipahu.
Some highlights for Swim Kauai:
Akira Williams, 12, closed by winning the last event of the two-day meet, the 200-yard freestyle in 2 minutes. He posted 9 out of 10 new personal best times. He finished the meet in third-place overall for the boys 11-12 age division.
Younger brother Ryden, 10, earned nine personal best times, sliced over 12 seconds off of his time in the 200-yard freestyle (2:26.77), and closed the meet in second place for the boys 10 and under division.
Teammate Kai Norman, 10, finished in seventh-place for the boys 10 and under division, with his highest placing in second place for the 50-yard butterfly event (33.12). He achieved new state qualifying times for his 100-yard backstroke (1:29.08) and 200-yard individual medley (2:58.83).
Veterans Yasmine Ware, 16, and Kate Machorek, 15, scored points for Swim Kauai with every event they raced in. Ware, who placed second overall in girls 15-16, brought home first-place finishes in the 50-yard freestyle, 100-yard backstroke, and 200-yard individual medley events.
Machorek, who placed fourth in the girls 15-16 division, scored highest in the 200-yard backstroke with a second-place touch, and the 200-yard freestyle with a third-place finish.
Tambrina Fairbanks, 17, placed fourth in the 200-yard individual medley event and was eighth for the women’s division.
Kayla Ishida, 15, earned personal bests in eight events. She clinched her first state qualifying times of her career in the 50-yard freestyle (26.80) and the 100-yard breaststroke (1:16.18).
Ava Wagner, 14, and Kaira Kaaihue, 13, each placed in two individual events, Wagner in both the 100-yard and 200-yard breaststroke distances, and Kaaihue in the 200-yard freestyle and 200-yard individual medley.
Jackson Evans, 13, placed seventh in the 50-yard freestyle with a time of 25.29, a new state qualifying time for him. Evans posted personal bests in seven out of eight events during the meet and placed 18th for boys 13-14.
Henry Scherer, 12, secured his first state qualifying cut, and posted seven new personal bests.
Sam Britzmann, 14, Dutch Fairbanks, 12, Saber Fairbanks 15, and Asa Hendrickson 14, did well.
“This was a very special meet for us, and one that will be remembered for years” said Brown. “These kids have shown incredible improvement, and swam with heart this weekend.”
Swim Kauai’s next home meet is Nov. 23. Senior championships are Nov. 15-17 on Oahu.
