By Roselyn B. Monroyo
Variety News Staff

SAIPAN Swim Club coach Michael Stewart took a chance in sending first timers to the Guam B-C Championships over the weekend at the Hagatna Pool, the gamble paid off as they went home with 13 gold medals, 10 silver and nine bronze.
Leading the SSC rookies’ impressive showings on Guam were Lester Lapuz and Ashley Northen, who had significant improvement in their lifetime best swims.
The 12-year old Lapuz won four gold medals after topping the 100m and 200m breaststroke and 100m and 400m freestyle and a silver in the 50m freestlyle.
His best performance came in the 400m after timing in at six minutes, 21.99 seconds, chopping 53 seconds from his previous LTBS of 7:15.00. Overall, Lapuz had 4-for-5 LTBs
Ashley won a silver in the 400m freestyle and a bronze in the 200m freestyle. The 11-year- old swimmer posted two LTBs in one swim as her time in the 200m split in the freestyle event eclipsed her previous LTB by three seconds. She also broke her LTB in the 400m by two seconds.
Others who delivered for SSC were Ayana and Hiromasa Kawahara, Opal Northen, Junior Pamaran, Michael Moran, Victoria Chentsova, Jenny Lee and Gianna Camacho.
“This was the first time I had sent such a novice group to Guam and I was happy I did it. These kids shone better than I could have imagined for a bunch of rookies. They can hold their heads high and do some chest thumping,” Stewart said.
“Eight of the 11 swimmers we sent have less than one year of swimming experience, but they have gone from the Developmental Team to the Blue Team and some to the Junior Team. This can be attributed to their hard work and dedication,” Stewart added.
Pamaran claimed three gold medals and a bronze and posted 4-for-4 LTBs. The 16-year old swimmer won gold medals in the 100 and 200m freestyle and 50m breaststroke and a bronze in the 50m freestyle.
Camacho was also perfect going 4-for-4 LTBs. She nailed a silver in the 100m backstroke and a bronze in the 50m backstroke.
Moran notched four gold medals in the 50, 100m and 200m freestyle and in the 50m breaststroke.
The 13-year old Moran was among the three SSC swimmers who broke the three-minute barrier in the 200m freestyle. Moran timed in at 2:59.05, Pamaran clocked 2:51.88 and Lapuz posted 2:57.30.
Opal gave SSC two gold medals in the 100m and 200m freestyle and a bronze in the 100m backstroke.
Opal timed in at 3:26.00 in the 200m dropping 23 seconds from her previous record.
Ayana, Lee and Hiro also made new LTBs in the 200m freestyle swim.
Ayana posted 4:04, a 20-second drop from her previous LTB and Hiro broke her LTB by 27 seconds with her 3:26.
Hiro won silver medals in the 50m, 100m and 200m freestyle and in the 50m breaststroke, while Ayana claimed bronze medals in the 50m freestyle, 50m backstroke and 50m breaststroke.
Lee gained a bronze medal in the 200m freestyle, while Chentsova won silver medals in the 50m, 100m and 200m freestyle and in the 50m breaststroke.