LIHU‘E — A small team didn’t keep Swim Kaua‘i Aquatics from taking home a big prize.
Competing with the smallest team in the competition, SKA’s six swimmers managed to take third place at the 2012 Hawaiian Swimming Senior Championship Meet Saturday in Honolulu.
“This meet has the best swimmers in the state, in an open format where swimmers age 12 and up go head to head. Many of the swimmers there will be competing at Olympic trials next week and our kids were right there with them — if not out-touching them in some events,” SKA head coach Billy Brown said. “It was really exciting to see. I am so proud of these kids.”
Anya Littlefield, 18, a KIF stand-out who will be heading to the University of San Diego to swim in the fall, brought home the Women’s High Point award with 106 points. She placed first in four of her six events, the 800 meter freestyle (9:25.75), 400 meter freestyle (4:36.29), 200 meter butterfly (2:26.80), and 200 meter freestyle. She also placed fifth in the 100 meter butterfly (1:07.76) and seventh in the 50 meter freestyle (28.89). She earned another sectional time in her 200 meter freestyle with a time of 2:11.52.
Yasmine Ware, 15, placed third in the overall point standings with 98 total points. She broke the one minute mark in her 100 meter freestyle event (59.87) which earned her third place in that event. She won the 50 meter freestyle with a time of 27.13, and placed third in the 200 meter freestyle (2:14.09) and 100 meter butterfly (1:07.19). She touched the wall fourth in her 100 meter breaststroke 1:18.31) and 200 meter Individual Medley (2:31.78).
Kate Machorek, 14, placed fourth overall with 89 points. Machorek was second in the 400 meter freestyle (4:42.08), third in the 200 meter backstroke (2:29.12) and 400 meter Individual Medley (5:27.29). She earned two new Sectional times in her 800 meter freestyle (9:38.59) and the 50 meter freestyle (28.76).
Tambrina Fairbanks, 16, placed sixth overall in the 200 meter breaststroke (2:54.19). She also made new state qualifying cuts in both the 200 and 400 meter Individual Medley events.
Sophie Britzmann, 16, broke the five minute barrier in the 400 meter freestyle with a time of 4:59.12, earning 11th place overall.
Quinn Hannah-White, 15, posted four new personal best times in all of his freestyle events. He clinched 10th place in the Mens 400 meter Individual Medley with a time of 5:42.97. His distance freestyle events earned him a 12th place finish in the 1500 meter freestyle (19:11.09) and 14th place in the 400 meter freestyle (4:46.09).
“I’m so pleased with the racing performance of these kids,” Brown said. “It’s a great stepping-stone for the state championships in three weeks.”
SKA swimmers will be back in the pool on Sunday at the YMCA in Puhi.
• Tyson Alger, sports writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 237) or by emailing talger@ thegardenisland.com. Follow him on twitter.com/tysonalger.
