PUHI — Five Swim Kaua‘i Aquatics swimmers earned state-qualifying times last Saturday during an SKA swim meet that included an O‘ahu team at the YMCA pool.
Jayna Sams, 14, earned her state-championship-qualifying time in the 200-yard backstroke, where she stopped the clocks on a swim of 2 minutes, 30.48 seconds. Liam Juvan, 13, earned his state time in the 100 freestyle by stopping the clocks at 54.73 seconds.
Ka‘ulu Ka‘eo, 12, finished the 200 freestyle at 2:20.26, and Mai‘au Karratti, 9, went 1:40.31 in the 100 breaststroke. Hannah Hovland, 14, earned her cut in the 200 backstroke on a 2:28.30 swim.
“This is awesome given our season has just started,” said Brad Meacham, an SKA co-head coach. “We had 46 swimmers, of which 37 swimmers achieved at least one or more best times. These 37 swimmers achieved a total of 98 best times within their events.”
The visiting O‘ahu team, Marathon Area Swim Association, featured more than 20 swimmers and three professional swimmers who put on a clinic covering starts, turns and underwater maneuvers for the SKA swimmers, Meacham said.
“The professional swimmers included Jamie Ingram from Germany, Thomas Pratsch from Great Britain and Marina Spadoni from California, who are currently training on O‘ahu ahead of the world championships,” Meacham said. “What a great experience for our SKA swimmers.”
Swim Kaua‘i Aquatics is currently preparing for the Bill Smith Invitational and the senior championships that will both be hosted on O‘ahu. The 22nd Bill Smith Invitational Swimming Meet at the Veterans Memorial Aquatics Center will be held on Oct. 29 and 30, and the Fall Senior Short Course Championships at the VMAC is scheduled for Nov. 18.
There is also an SKA Age Group meet scheduled for Nov. 12, where athletes may enter a maximum of five individual events and two relays.
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Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 808-245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
