PUHI — Victoria Hinkel, 13, Hayley-Jay Kaeo, 9, James Pratt, 10, Brianna Ryan, 10, and Zachary Safford, 12, marked perfect meets by earning new personal best times in each event they swam during the recent Swim Kaua‘i Aquatics home meet at the YMCA pool in Puhi.
“There were a lot of big, big drops in those 50-, 100-, and even 200-yard events for the SKA Gold and Silver level swimmers, and lots of ‘WOW’ swims by everyone,” says SKA Coach Billy Brown, in a release.
Hinkel posted her success in the 200 Yard Freestyle, touching the wall on a 2:44.06 swim, a 7.84 improvement over her seeded time and qualifying for a new B time standard. She also posted a B time standard in the 100 Yard Freestyle (1:14.89) and earned an A time in her 50 Yard Freestyle (32:33).
Kaeo also celebrated in the 200 Yard Freestyle, stopping the clock at 3:23.02 for an 18.43 improvement and a B time standard, Brown noting Kaeo picked up some valuable race experience during the recent Bill Smith Invitational on O‘ahu last month.
Pratt picked up three new time standards with his perfect meet, getting an AA cut in his 50 Yard Freestyle (37.38). His performance had coaches fist-pumping on the deck as he posted a 39.39 drop in the 100 Yard Backstroke and a 29.03 second drop in the 50 Yard Butterfly.
Ryan shaved 32.16 seconds off her seeded swim in the 200 Yard Freestyle, touching the wall at 3:48.18 and added a 16-second drop in the 100 Yard Freestyle, touching at 1:45.37.
Safford posted his biggest improvement in the 200 Yard Breaststroke, stopping the clocks at 2:49.91 for a 5.48 improvement.
Ryden Williams, 9, a Gold level swimmer, posted a Qual time standard in the 100 Yard Backstroke (1:29.36) and Malia Splittstoesser, 10, captured an additional two AA time standards in the 50 Yard Butterfly (42.31) and the 100 Yard Backstroke (1:33.46).
Andres Gonzales, 12, captured an AA time standard in the 100 Yard Breaststroke, touching at 1:35.39. Riley Young, 14, also copped an AA time standard in the 200 Freestyle, touching at 2:14.65.
Yasmine Ware, 14, who performed over the weekend at the Senior Championships on O‘ahu, secured a Senior Sectional time standard in the 400 Yard Individual Medley, touching at 4:35.41 for a 3.16-second improvement over her seeded swim.
Saber Fairbanks, 14, slashed 15.59 off his 400 Yard IM (6:19.52), Kassy McCoy, 8, chopped 12.39 seconds in the 50 Yard Backstroke and Cheyenne St. John cut 34.13 seconds in the 50 Yard Butterfly.
Lani Alo, 10, Malia Alo, 8 and Kirra Leonard, 8, made a splash at their first swim meets as SKA swimmers, Lani set three time standards, an A time in the 50 Yard Freestyle (39.26), and two B times in the 50 Yard Backstroke (51.73) and the 50 Yard Breaststroke (54.13).
“We are just so proud of all these kids,” Brown said. “Our Westside SKA swimmers made quite a statement at the meet. Coach Jeff Casey is doing a great job with those kids in Waimea.”
The SKA will host its next home meet on Dec. 1, a “last chance” meet to earn qualifying time for the upcoming State Championship meet on O‘ahu.
For more information visit www.swimkauaiaquatics.com
• Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
