Hawaiian Swimming_||_More Articles on Molokai Swimming

In their final tuneup before the Hawaiian Swimming Long Course
Championships, the Hawaii Swimming Club (HSC) captured the team
championship of the 25th Annual Coach Soichi Sakamoto Invitational
Swimming Meet on Maui over the Memorial Day weekend. The meet honors the
legendary coach who revolutionized training for competitive swimming and
trained numerous swimmers from Hawaii that were selected to represent the
United States in several Olympics. Many of the swimmers won medals at
collegiate, national, international, and Olympic competitions.

Five Molokai swimmers journeyed to Maui under a grant from the Molokai
Ranch Foundation and contributed to the team scoring. Leoho`onani,
Mahinameli, and Ilia Reyes and Lenn and Loni Yonemura were extremely busy
swimmers in the three-day meet. Coach Lloyd Yonemura pulled double duty
for two of the days as the meet announcer.

Ilia Reyes, despite being a bit out of shape when his training was
disrupted after a bout with the flu, managed an outstanding meet. He
attained state qualifying times in eight of his ten events, established
new personal bests in six of the events, and established base times in
three events. The 9-year old, competing in the 10 & Under division, came
up with two seconds, five thirds, two fourths and one fifth place finished
to lead the individual scoring for the Molokai swimmers.

Leo met up with the team on Maui after finishing her finals at Kamehameha
Schools. She placed fourth and fifth in the 100 M and 200 M Breaststroke
events, respectively, and earned state qualifying times in both events.
She swam on three relay teams in addition to four other individual events.
Leo teamed with Mikiala Miller, Sara Delara, and Helena Suehiro to win the
200 M Free Relay. The quartet of Miller, Suehiro, Leo, and Loni Yonemura
took second in the 400 M Medley Relay. Miller, Leo, Delara, and Erin
Samura won third place in the 400 M Free Relay.

Mahina swam the full cycle of 10 individual events and four relays events.
She placed in the 50 M and 100 M Breaststroke events and also scored in
the 100 Y Butterfly. Mahina teamed with Nikoya Collier, Emalia Suehiro,
and Aimee Nakama to win the 200 M Medley Relay, place second in the 200 M
Free and 400 M Free Relays, and take third in the 400 M Medley Relay. She
totals nine state qualifying times for the season and will swim in eight
in the championships.

Loni Yonemura swam 10 individual and one relay event. Her best finish was
seventh in the 100 M Butterfly where she attained a state qualifying time.
She continues to train daily but will not compete at the state
championships due to a commitment on the mainland.

Lenn Yonemura suffered through stomach cramps throughout the first two
days of the meet but lived up to his number one seeding in the 200 M
Breaststroke as he won that event on the first day of competition. He
also managed a third place finish in the 100 M Breaststroke, fifth in the
200 M Backstroke, and seventh in the 200 M Free. Lenn swam in five other
individual events and teamed with Cheyne Bloch, Reece Kaya, and Tracy
Castille for four relay events. The foursome broke the Sakamoto Meet
record for the 400 M Medley Relay but finished second behind the Duke
Kahanamoku Swim Team. They also took third in the 200 M Free Relay and
the 200 M Medley Relay and fourth in the 400 M Free Relay.

The Duke Kahanamoku team was comprised of members of the University of
Hawaii Men's Swim Team who are continuing year-round training and
conditioning by competing in invitational meets under the governance of
United States Swimming. The team was awesome in setting several
individual and relay marks for the meet and also established several new
Hawaiian records.

While state age group championship competition is limited to swimmers 18
years and younger, age group swimming includes an open division where
swimmers of all ages can compete. The competitive spirit of the meet was
greatly enhanced as the top age group swimmers in the state set their
sights on keeping up with the Duke Kahanamoku swimmers for as long as
possible at every opportunity.

The Molokai swimmers thank the Molokai Ranch Foundation for their support
and at press time, had two weeks of training left before the state
championships. The results of the championships will be reported upon the
team's return from the Big Island.

Plans are still on hold for another learn-to-swim session for interested
youngsters. Tentative plans call for sessions to begin on Tuesday, June
22 starting at 4:00 PM. All swimmers who participate in the sessions will
be assessed a $35.00 registration fee. Come to the pool between June 7
and 9 for more definite information. If the sessions are held, enrollment
will be limited to the participants registering between June 22 and June
25.