Chentsova finished the women’s 200-meter freestyle event at two minutes and 27.86 seconds and ranked 47th overall behind Guyana’s Britany Van Lange (2:16.4). She entered in the first of seven heats with a qualifying time of 2:29.86, along with Tanzania’s Gouri Kotecha, Seychelles’ Aure Fanchette, and Turkmenistan’s Jennet Saryyeva.
Olympic athlete Allison Schmitt topped the category at 1:56.66, followed by Italy’s Federica Pellegrini (1:56.87) and Australian swimmer Bronte Barratt (1:57.37).
Last Sunday, Chentsova entered the women’s 400m freestyle event and posted five minutes and 18.67 seconds — nearly two seconds short of her qualifying time (5:16.62). There, she trailed Thailand’s Sriphanomthorn Benjaporn (4:29.65) and Egypt’s Osman Shahd (4:26.35).
Two other swimmers — 15-year-old Grace Kimball and Rezne Wong — will also represent the CNMI. The trio is joined by Saipan Swim Club coach Mike Villagomez.
Wong, now a student at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, will compete today in the men’s 200m individual medley. He will enter heat two of the men’s 200m breaststroke event with a qualifying time of 2:26.83 tomorrow.
Kimball will join the fourth heat in the women’s 100m freestyle event tomorrow. Her second event — the women’s 50m freestyle — is set for July 30. She will enter the fourth heat and is the second youngest swimmer in a pool of eight, next to Palau’s Osisang Chilton.
