49th Annual Keo Nakama Swimming Invitationals

The Hawaii Swimming Club-Oahu, comprised of groups from Kapolei and

Palolo, hosted the 49th Annual Keo Nakama Invitational Swimming Meet over

the July 4th weekend. Sister clubs from Hilo, Kahului, and Molokai

combined with the Oahu group to capture the overall championship that

included four swimming clubs from the mainland, a team from Guam, and

another team comprised of swimmers from the Far East.

Pacing the qualifiers for the state competition was Leoho`onani Reyes who

earned a return trip to the Western Zone Championships with a qualifying

time in the 50 M Breaststroke event. Swimming in the Girls 11-12

grouping, Leo placed fourth in that event and also earned team points with

a seventh place finish in the 100 M Breaststroke.

In the three day affair, Leo swam in eight individual events and three

relay events. In addition to the two breast events, Leo also swam the 50

M, 100 M, and 200 M Freestyle, the 100 M Backstroke, the 50 M Butterfly,

and the 200 M Individual Medley. She improved her times in seven of the

events and qualified for the state championships in the 200 M Free.

Leo teamed with Mikiala Miller (HSC-Kahului), Chelsea Hesser (HSC-Palolo),

and Tamarah Binek (HSC-Hilo) to place second in the 200 M Medley Relay.

Leo, Hesser, Miller, and Holley Fernandez (HSC-Kahului teamed to place

fourth in the 400 M Free Relay and fifth in the 200 M Free Relay.

Mahinameli Reyes improved on all eight of her times in all of the

individual events in which she was entered and also picked up a state

qualifying time in the 50 M Breaststroke. Mahina swam the 50M and 100 M

Free, 50 M and 100 M Backstroke, 50 M and 100 M Breaststroke, 50 M

Butterfly, and 200 M Individual Medley.

Mahina teamed with Nikoya Collier (HSC-Oahu), Aja Suehiro, (HSC-Kahului),

and Alicia Gerber (HSC-Oahu) in the 200 M Freestyle. The foursome placed

fourth in their age division, the Girls 10 & Under group. Mahina has

accumulated eight state qualifying times in her individual events.

Lenn Yonemura, swimming in the Boys 15-16 division, swam in seven

individual events and bettered his times in all of them. He competed in

the 50 M, 100 M, and 200 M Freestyle, the 100 M and 200 M Breaststroke,

the 200 M Individual, and the 100 M Backstroke events. Lenn placed fifth

in the 100 M Breast event, fourth in the 200 M Breast, and eighth in the

200 M Free.

Lenn teamed with Robert Roos (HSC-Hilo), Cody Hesser (HSC-Hilo), and Ryan

Menezes (HSC-Hilo) in the open division and the team placed third in the

400 Medley Relay. Lenn also swam on the 200 Free Relay team that placed

seventh in the open division along with Hesser, Kyle Hayashi

(HSC-Kahului), and Kevin Delmore (HSC-Kahului).

Loni Yonemura, swimming in her final meet in the Girls 11-12 division,

contributed to team points with a seventh place finish in the 200 M Free

and an eighth place finish in the 100 M Butterfly.

Loni and teammates Helena Suehiro (HSC-Kahului), Holley Fernandez

(HSC-Kahului), and Jodi Kalawe (HSC-Hilo) placed third in the 200 Medley

Relay. Loni, Suehiro, Kalawe, and Cassie Lyons (HSC-Oahu) teamed for

another third place finish in the 400 M Free Relay. Suehiro, Lyons,

Kalawe, and Loni also placed fourth in the 200 M Free Relay.

The Molokai Swim Team is gearing up for the 1997 Hawaii Age Group Long

Course Swimming Championships. The meet, originally scheduled to be held

on Oahu, was moved to the Lahaina Aquatics Center which is quickly

becoming a favorite site for championship meets and is scheduled for

August 1-5.