Age Group Swimming, November 1997

The combined efforts of the Hawaii Swimming Club (HSC) enabled them to

capture the overall team championship of the 18th Annual Pearl City

Aquatics Invitational Swim Meet held over the Thanksgiving break. The

club is comprised of swimmers from Oahu, Maui, Hawaii, and Molokai.

Leading the state qualifiers for the Molokai squad were Mahinameli and

Leoho`onani Reyes. Both girls were entered in 11 individual events and

Mahina emerged with eight state qualifying times and one top-eight finish.

Leo attained seven state qualifying times and two top-eight finishes.

Awards are presented to swimmers who finish in the top eight positions in

each invidual event and the top three teams in the relays.

Both Mahina and Leo swam the 50 Y and 100 Y events for the Freestyle,

Breaststroke, Backstroke, and Butterfly. In addition, they also swam the

100 Y and 200 Y Individual Medley events and the 200 Y Freestyle.

Mahina's top eight finish came in the 50 Y Backstroke event where she came

from the middle of the entries and blasted her way to her best clocking in

the event. Still needing to work on her endurance and stamina, Mahina

finished in the top 20% in all of her events.

Leo placed fifth in the 100 Y Breaststroke and sixth in the 50 Y

Breaststroke events. She teamed with Nicole Okuna (HSC-Hilo), Marlene

Yafuso (HSC-Hilo, and Helen Suehiro (HSC-Kahului) to earn gold medals in

winning both the 200 Y and 400 Y Medley relays.

Loni Yonemura showed the effects of a late start in her training but

managed to improve her times in four of her six events. She also swam

three relays. Two relays teamed Loni, Erin Samura (HSC-Hilo), Ashley

Sugiyama (HSC-Hilo), and Chelsea Hesser (HSC-Oahu). The fourth relay

teamed Loni, Sugiyama, Hesser, and Roanne Chow (HSC-Hilo).

Lenn Yonemura emerged as the biggest award winner. Lenn, Frank Hauben

(HSC-Hilo), Reece Kaya (HSC-Kahului), and Cody Hesser (HSC-Oahu) combined

for three gold medals in the 400 Y Freestyle Relay, the 200 Y Medley

Relay, and the 400 Y Medley Relay events. Lenn also earned three top

eight finishes with a fourth place in the 200 Y Breaststroke, a fifth

place in the 100 Y Breaststroke, and a seventh place in the 100 Y

Freestyle. He narrowly missed out in the 100 Y Backstroke and 200 Y

Freestyle events, both with 9th place finishes, and swam a total of seven

individual events.

The season continues with a regular season meet on Maui on December 13.