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The Sparky Kawamoto Swimming complex in Hilo was the site of the 1999
Hawaiian Swimming Age Group Long Course Championships. The four-day meet
began on June 11 and after the day's events were completed, the Aulea
Swimming Club led the competition with Punahou Aquatics and the Hawaii
Swimming Club (HSC) in pursuit.
By the end of the second day, HSC had taken a small lead over Aulea and
Punahou and the club, made up of swimmers from Oahu, Maui, Hawaii, and
Molokai, increased their lead on the third day of swimming. The final day
was nothing short of thrilling as the three clubs battled down to the end
and HSC emerged as the team champions by managing to win several relay
events to close the meet.
Molokai swimmers Lenn Yonemura and Leoho`onani, Mahinameli, and Ilia Reyes
all made contributions to HSC's overall point total in both individual and
relay events.
Lenn finished the meet with two third places (200 M Breaststroke, 800 M
Freestyle), two fourth places (100 M Breaststroke, 400 M Individual
Medley), and a fifth (1,500 M Freestyle) to lead the Molokai swimmers in
individual scoring.
Mahina's contributions came in her four relay events where she teamed with
Emalia Suehiro, Alicia Gerber, and Nikoya Collier for sixth place in both
the 200 M and 400 M Medley Relays and seventh place in the 200 M Freestyle
Relay. She also teamed with Collier, Suehiro, and Jenna Yadao for sixth
in the 400 M Freestyle Relay. Mahina had a very busy meet as she swam
eight individual events (50 M and 100 M Breaststroke, 50 M and 100 M
Butterfly, 100 M and 200 M Freestyle, 50 M Backstroke, and 200 M
Individual Medley).
Ilia came up with a superb meet as he improved on his seed times in six of
his eight events and made the finals in two events. He earned his first
championship medal with a fourth place finish in the 50 Y Freestyle
despite being a low seed entering the meet. Ilia also swam the 100 M
Free, 50 M Butterfly, 50 M and 100 M Backstroke, 50 M and 100 M
Breaststroke, and 200 M Individual Medley. Both of his relay events wound
up in fifth place. His teammates were Sho Fujikawa, Chase Bloch, and Ian
Gerber.
Leo swam in two individual events, the 50 M and 100 M Breaststroke, and
three relay events. All three of her relay teams scored well as she
teamed with Tiffany Bumatay, Jessica Boyer, and Helena Suehiro for second
place finishes in the 200 M and 400 M Medley Relays. Leo, Tiffany,
Jessica, and Erin Samura swam to a fifth place finish in the 400 M
Freestyle Relay.
The meet marked the end of a very difficult season as the swimming
calendar continues through a transition year with a complete change in
seasons. Despite that fact, the Molokai swimmers overcame several
obstacles in concluding the season with a championship trophy.
The meet also marked a milestone for Coach Lloyd Yonemura who gained
national certification by United States Swimming as a championship meet
announcer. The meet was governed by two nationally certified officials
who certified a number of other officials to work at the national level.
With the conclusion of the long course season, the swimmers have earned a
break and will be resting before resuming training in August for the short
course season which tentatively kicks off on August 28 with the Molokai
Fun Meet. A mid-summer meet, the 51st Annual Keo Nakama Invitational, the
longest running invitational meet in the country, will be held over the
July 4th weekend. A number of the swimmers from the March learn-to-swim
class have continued into the summer months making space for new swimmers
very limited. Practices are held weekdays with warmups beginning at 4:00
PM.
Congratulations to the swimmers and Coach Yonemura!