‘Major improvements’

Nevaeh Ibanez turned 9 years old less than six months ago.

Competing in the first long course meet of the season, Ibanez captured a state qualifying swim in the 50 meter breaststroke for the 10 and under age division.

“That’s pretty insane,” Mokihana Aquatics coach Orlando “O” Anaya said. “She just made 9 years old and yet, she made a state qualifying time the first time she swam long course.”

Ibanez was joined by Alana Cayabyab, 11, at the 34th Harry Mamizuka Invitational Long Course Meet at the Manoa Valley District Park which wrapped up Sunday.

In her qualifying swim, Ibanez touched the wall at 50.16 seconds for a No. 13 place in the field, an improvement of 3.29 seconds over her seeded time. She also finished first in the 50 meter butterfly where she touched at 48.60 for a gain of 1.05 seconds over her seeded time.

Ibanez touched the wall at 1:55.86 for a HIAA time standard for her third improvement at the meet.

Cayabyab competed in eight events over the two days, earning Mokihana Swimmer of the Meet honors from Anaya.

“The meet was tough on our swimmers, especially Alana who had to get up at 5 a.m., have breakfast at 6 a.m., warm up at 7 a.m., then wait until the afternoon session, warm up again, then race,” Anaya said. “That said, she made major improvements.”

Cayabyab, no stranger to off-island meets, said she made the best of the situation.

“I would take naps, eat, and try to relax,” the 11-year-old swimmer said. “And I always cheered for Neveah who had the morning sessions.”

Anaya said he and his swimmers had hoped for better swims.

“Mamizuka is the first long course meet of the season when swimmers are just beginning to gear up for the long course following a hard short course season,” Anaya said. “For this reason, Mamizuka has a very low ‘best time’ rate. It is the nature of the beast.”

Cayabyab finished all eight swims in HIAA times, her best swim coming in the 50 meter breaststroke where she touched at 45.20 for ninth. Her next best swims were in the 100 butterfly (1:26.82) and the 200 freestyle (2:48.11).

Cayabyab said the 200 free was the event she had the most problem with.

“It was a little difficult,” Cayabyab said. “I haven’t raced that event in a meter pool so I was sprinting all the way. It gets tiring. I ended very tired.”

Anaya said in addition to his Mokihana Aquatics swimmers, Swim Kauai Aquatics also showed well at the Oahu meet, Ryden Williams, 10, getting top high point honors with 68 points in the 10 and under men age group.

Akira Williams, 12, also represented SKA well, getting high point honors in the 11-12 boys group at 67 points.

Overall, SKA placed ninth in the two-day meet with 139 points, a mere three points behind Rainbow Aquatics at 142 points, according to results posted on the Hawaii Swim website.

“Here we are, looking down the barrel of a short long course season,” Anaya said. “Time trials on Mother’s Day weekend; Sakamoto’s at Wailuku, Maui. Trials with distance events followed by the Keo Nakama Invitational on the July 4th weekend. State championships two weeks later. It is happening.”