By Roselyn B, Monroyo
Variety News Staff

NINE Saipan Swim Club swimmers were promoted after showing significant improvement in the past few months.
After less than a year in SSC, Lester Lapuz, Junior Pamaran and Michael Moran moved two notches higher.
They were first promoted from the Developmental Team to the Blue Team in December last year. Now, Lapuz, Pamaran and Moran are on the Junior Team.
“Their quick improvement has been fun to watch. It won’t be long before we see these guys in international competitions,” SSC coach Michael Stewart said.
Six other swimmers moved up from the developmental team to the Blue Team.
They are sisters Celina and Gianna Camacho, Jenny Lee, Abigail Martinsen, Cassidy Majors and Christian Yamada.
“The Camacho sisters, Celine and Gianna, started slowly and had a lot to learn. They showed a lot of strength to improve in the beginning. They both listened to my occasional stern words and come around quickly,”
Stewart added that the nine-year old Gianna has been improving in backstroke, while 12-year- old Celine is doing well in freestyle.
Stewart also had good words for 10-year- old Lee and nine-year old Martinsen, who he said have been showing a positive attitude toward the sport.
“Jenny and Abigail are probably the two with the most natural talent of this new group. These two girls can do just about everything I ask them to do at this early stage. They both can have a bright future in swimming with positive work,” Stewart added.
Majors is the youngest at eight years old and the smallest in the group, but according to Stewart “that never stops her from being a pit bull in the water.
“She does come with good genes, as her older sister, Jellian, is a multiple CNMI national age-group record holder,” the SSC coach said.
Christian Yamada at 14 started late in swimming, but his size and strength is helping him show significant improvement over the past few months.
“I actually have him training some days with out Junior Team. As soon as he gets a little stronger, he will be moved there permanently,” Stewart said.