LIHUE — With less than nine weeks before the state age group swim meet, Swim Kauai Aquatics athletes added 10 new state standards to its quiver of qualifying swims during the latest edition of the SKA qualifying meet held at the YMCA pool last week.
This is in addition to the roster of swimmers emerging with perfect meets, or swimmers having improvement in all of their events, and four new swimmers with new Hawaii AA time standards that allow them to swim in major off-island meets.
“We had a great new team of volunteers and officials stepping up for this meet,” said SKA coach Curt Colby. “They ran a great meet for these swimmers, including Chase Ellis, 7, who was the new swimmer to competition. He swam in three individual events and one relay to enter the competition world.”
Trevyn Nishimura, 12, set the pace for the field of state qualifying swims with three new times, including the 200 backstroke (2 minutes, 38.46 seconds), the 50 freestyle (27.85), and the 200 butterfly (2:40.49).
“He just missed having a perfect meet by .18 second in his last event,” Colby said. “During his four events that finished with best times, Treyvn dropped a total of 38 seconds.”
Nishimura was followed by Tyler Tanaka, 13, getting two new state swims in the 1,000 freestyle (11:24.80), and the 500 freestyle (5:29.42). Tanaka was joined by Talen Koerte getting new state time standards in the 50 freestyle (28.30), and the 100 backstroke (1:15.35). Koerte was one of seven SKA swimmers posting a perfect meet.
Mahina Dameron (200 butterfly 2:39.59), Kai Mottley (100 butterfly 1:03.63), and Ian Raquel (400 Individual Medley 5:47.61) rounded out the 10 new state time standard swims.
Eli Adams, 11, topped the field of SKA athletes earning new Hawaii AA time standards by stroking to a 2:34.08 swim in the 200 freestyle and a 3:22.84 swim in the 200 breaststroke. Lucas McSweeny, 13, joined the field with a 1:01.36 swim in the 100 freestyle, Ahonui Perreira, 9, touched the wall at 1:22.85 in the 100 freestyle, and Sammy Stokes, 15, put in a 3:00.27 swim in the 200 breaststroke.
McSweeny topped the field of swimmers touting a perfect meet by breaking 30 seconds in the 50 freestyle on a 28.27 swim.
“Lucas dropped an average of one to two seconds in all four of his events,” Colby said. “But he was most impressive in the 50 freestyle where he was under the milestone of 30 seconds by nearly two seconds. Talen’s best drops were three seconds each in the 50 breaststroke (41.95), and the 100 backstroke (1:15.53).”
Hannah Hovland, 9, boasted a 10-second improvement in the 50 freestyle (53.68), and Kaolu Kaeo, 8, trimmed about three ticks in both the 25 butterfly (31.89) and the 25 freestyle (18.68).
Maiha Kjeldsen, 7, posted two second drops in the 25 breaststroke (30.40), and the 25 butterfly (26.01), and Kai Mottley, 13, trimmed more than 20 seconds off his 200 freestyle, touching the wall on a 2:09.04 swim. Kiki Nishimura, 7, had a 10-second trim in the 100 freestyle (1:56.43).
“There was so much improvement for all the swimmers,” Colby said. “They continue to work hard and pay attention to the important details of their individual swims and racing skills. Keep up the good work.”
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Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
