State jr. lifeguard athletes named

Kaua‘i athletes will be heading to the Big Island for the state Junior Lifeguard championships, this Saturday.

Kaua‘i will send 30 athletes and five water safety officer chaperones/coaches.

Roy Yamagata, one of the senior water safety officers, released the names during practice for the state finals yesterday morning at Kalapaki Beach.

“This group practicing here is only half of the group. The other half is practicing in Hanalei,” Yamagata said. “No sense in making them drive half-way around the island just to practice.”

Included in the group representing Kaua‘i, Courtney Cabral is the defending state champion in the flags event while Sarah Faraola is a two-time defending state champion in the 1000 run.

Faraola said during previous state events, she came in second in the run, swim, run event, and is working towards trying to improve that finish at this year’s event.

Cabral said that before she got to be state champion, her coaches were telling her she needed to learn how to dive.

“So I just dove in the sand and came up with the flag,” she said.

Yamagata said Tuesday’s practice was to get the athletes focused and prepared for the state field.

“They’re as strong and fast as they’ll be,” Yamagata said. “Now, it’s strategizing and trying to get them focused.”

The Kaua‘i contingent includes Anya Littlefield, Emma Rausch, Faraola, Tiare Welborn, Lily Frederickson, Sonia Gordines, Sweden Kealoha, Meaghan Sims, Kara Dastrup, Caralyn Broyles, Carly Matsumoto, Cabral, Casie Ford, Keokiana Smith, Pierce Murphy, Kawai Davis, Brycen Phillips, Makaiah Stine, Matt Milbrand, Johnathon Tangalin, Hunter Ewald, Kaimana Wong, Matthew Ross, Garrett Stephen, Kyson Gusukuma, Sergei Wright, Scott McGrath, Christopher Barich, Nathan Carvalho and Dereyn Tamashiro.

Chaperones include Yamagata, Eugene Ancheta, Cleve Zarbaugh, Ryan Condon, Kalani Vierra and Melissa Tangalin.

• Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@kauaipubco.com.