By Roselyn B. Monroyo
Variety News Staff

A few days after their successful exploits in the 12th FINA World Championships in Melbourne, Australia, Saipan Swim Club members Cooper Graf and Sarah Johnson received recognition, as they were named NMASA’s top athletes for March.
Johnson, who recorded 6-for-6 lifetime best swims at the Rod Lavera Arena, was named Northern Marianas Amateur Sports Association’s Female Athlete of the Month.
The Saipan International School student competed in the 400m freestyle (5:05.03), 200m free (2:23.42), 100m backstroke (1:19.90), 50m breaststroke (37.86 seconds) and the 100m free (31.39 seconds).
Her time in the 200m freestyle swim was only two seconds behind the CNMI national mark.
Graf nailed the Male Student Athlete of the Month plum, as he went 5-for-6 at the world championships posting 5-for-5 in Melbourne.
He joined in the 800m freestyle (10:14.48), 1500m free (19:33.41), 400m free (4:57.26), 200m free (2:22.69) and the 100m free (1:05.75). The only time he failed to set an LTB was in the 50m, when he clocked 31.78 seconds, just 0.2 of a second behind his best time.
But the 1:07 drop in Cooper’s 1500m freestyle time was the largest drop of any swimmer in the world championship this year.
Also honored during NMASA’s monthly meeting last Thursday were basketball players Chelsea Ruluked and Edsel Mendoza.
Ruluked led her Kagman Lady Ayuyus to a title-win against erstwhile champions Marianas High School Lady Dolphins in the MISA high school caging.
Ruluked played only in her first year in the high school basketball tournament, but was named among the top players in the league. She led the Lady Dolphins to a perfect season.
Mendoza scored 36 points in the PTI Yankees 100-93 finals win against Samahang Ilokano at Pangasinense in the 35-and-up division of the Masters Basketball League last month.
Like Ruluked, Mendoza was also in his debut season in the Masters caging and was the consistent scorer for the Yankees, who also won the pennant in the 35-and-up division.