Swim records fall

THREE PNG swim records were broken during the TNT national short course competition in Lae last weekend.
Sixteen-year-old Peter Pokawin set a new record in the 100m individual medley in a time of 1:05.87.
He broke Nathan Ampa’oi’s record time of 1:07.74 set last year, while 17-year-old, Danny Pryke, swam a time of 1:06.88, to take Nathan Nades’ time of 1:08.20 also set last year.
In the 50m butterfly, Pokawin also swam a time of 28.09 to take the holder of the 16-year-old male record from Ryan Pini set in 1998. Pini’s time was 28.16.
Another outstanding performance came from female swimmer Millie Knight, who swam nine personal best times during the event.
There were also inspiring performances from some young swimmers, who recorded personal best times during the three-day event at the Coronation College swimming pool.
The event attracted 65 participants competing in different events which included the 25m, 50m, 100m, 200m, along with 100m, 200m and 400m individual medley.
Others who achieved five or more personal best times were Ruth Bunena, Ben Paton, Marcus Blake, Ben Cross, Jeankapa Koupa, Jack Paton, Gairo Puana, James Runnegar, Natasha and Henrietta Sagon, Sam Seghers, Grace Taga, Justin Wallace, Jeremiah, Savanah and Jake Tkatchenko, Nathan Tukana from the Boroko club.
The others were Judy Akara, Kathy Cooper, Tyson Cooper, Roseanne John, Leonard Kalate, Lynn Langelet, Tanguy Langelet, Aida Matrus and Juanita Vava from the Lae club.
The event provided an opportunity for swimmers this year to swim qualify for a place in the PNGSI junior or intermediate silver or gold excellence squads and the PNGSI Kundu silver or gold target squads.
Jeremiah Tkatchenko joins Ayla Beagrie, Tamara Edmunds, Luke Fraser, Michelle Gore, Rayla Ila, Ashton Kunda, Ryan Maskelyne, Jasmine Mileng, Kimberley Ila, Ben Paton, Nicola Pini and Jeankapa Puana, in the junior aquatic excellence.
Jeremiah swam a qualifying time in 50m freestyle.
Savanah Tkatchenko and James Runnegar were promoted to junior aquatic excellence gold squad. They join Riley Albrecht and Britney Murray.
Knight has been promoted to intermediate aquatic excellence silver squad while Jack Paton and Samantha Wallace have become new members after swimming qualifying times.
Samantha in the 50m and 100m freestyle and Jack in 50m freestyle. 
They join Edna Aisi, Collin Akara, DeArne Davey, Renee Terz, Maverick Kunda, Roseann John, Peter Kunda, Anthea Murray, Calvin Pokawin and Terence Yukil.
Jake Tkatchenko and Bobby Akunai were promoted to intermediate gold aquatic excellence squad joining Tegan McCarthy, Barbara Leana-Vali, Stanford Gore, Ishan Guru and  Tukana.
Jake swam qualifying times in 50m Breastroke and 50m backstroke while Bobby swam times in 50m breastroke and 50m butterfly.
Sam Seghers swam a silver aquatic excellence time in 50m freestyle to become a new member, joining Ampa’oi and Nathan Nades.