WAIMEA — Anya Littlefield and Kanoa Nartatez earned the only two consideration times during the first qualifying Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation swim meet, Saturday, at the Waimea pool. Both qualifying swims came in the 50 Yard Freestyle event where Littlefield, a
WAIMEA — Anya Littlefield and Kanoa Nartatez earned the only two consideration times during the first qualifying Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation swim meet, Saturday, at the Waimea pool.
Both qualifying swims came in the 50 Yard Freestyle event where Littlefield, a Kapa‘a High School junior, touched at 26.42, bettering the consideration standard of 26.59 but falling short of the Auto standard of 25.90.
Littlefield, a strong community swimmer with the Swim Kaua‘i Aquatics program as well as a returning KIF record-breaking swimmer, came close to breaking the existing KIF record, touching at .07 second short of the record 26.35 set in 1986 by Alisha Golden.
Hot on her heels in this event, Maluhia Stark-Kinimaka, a Kapa‘a freshman, touched at 26.66 for second place, more than a second ahead of Sophie Britzmann (27.44), but only .24 second off the pace set by Littlefield.
Stark-Kinimaka set the pace for distance swims, topping the Girls 200 Yard Free, a record 2:03.52 being set in 2009 by Littlefield, on her swim of 2:18.38, almost four seconds ahead of Lana Vali (2:22.04), a Kapa‘a junior. The state consideration standard in this event is 2:05.52.
Nartatez, a Kapa‘a senior, earned a consideration in the Boys 50 Yard Free with his 23.32 swim, finishing almost two seconds ahead of second place finisher Tyler Keith of Island School who touched at 25.93.
But despite this strong swim, Nartatez is about a second shy of the KIF record in this event set in 1986 by Cory Carroll who set the level at 22.31. The state consideration standard is 23.79 with the Auto standard being 23.15.
Billy Brown, coach of the SKA swim program and a KIF official at the meet, was pleased with the participation at the first qualifying meet where 84 swimmers were registered to participate.
The KIF qualifying meet moves to the Kapa‘a pool this Saturday starting at 10 a.m. The KIF Championship meet will be held on Jan. 29 at the YMCA pool in Puhi, and the state meet will be hosted by the O‘ahu Interscholastic Association Feb. 11-12.
• Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@kauaipubco.com.
