Punahou’s Nick Borreca completed a swimming grand slam yesterday by setting state records in all four events he entered at the Local Motion State Swimming and Diving Championships at the Duke Kahanamoku Aquatic Complex.
Borreca’s records were in the 50-yard freestyle (20.80), 100-freestyle (45.24), 200-freestyle relay (1:27.09) and 400-freestyle relay (3:10.78).
"I thought I could do some really special things today," Borreca said. "I was focusing the past two weeks concentrating on what I had to do."
Borreca, a junior competed in the individual freestyle sprint events despite being the two-time defending state champion in the 200 and 500 freestyle.
"He’s such a talented individual that I thought (the records) were a possibility," Punahou coach Kenny Chew said. "For him, he did pull it off. Congratulations to him."
After setting the record in the 50 freestyle, Borreca said: "It was a fast event. That’s my fastest time this year. I knew what I had to do. I just went out there and did it."
Punahou won the boys’ and girls’ titles yesterday.
The Buffanblu boys finished with 75 points. ‘Iolani finished second with 63 and Baldwin third with 37.
The Buffanblu girls finished with 62 points. Waiakea finished with 52 and ‘Iolani third with 26.
"For both teams, the boys and the girls, they set their goals at the beginning of the season," Chew said. "Their goal as swimmers and our goals as coaches was to hopefully win the titles."
The Buffanblu have won 39 of the 44 boys’ state titles, and 41 of 44 girls’ titles.
‘Iolani sophomore Hong Zhe Sun set records in the 200 freestyle (1:40.78) and 100 backstroke (49.95). He set the previous record in the 100 backstroke (50.36) during trials on Friday.
Sun also competed on the winning 200 medley relay team (1:37.43).
"I feel really good about what I did," Sun said. "I think I could have done better in the backstroke, but I’m pretty happy with what I’ve done."
The only girls’ record broken yesterday was by Punahou in the 400 freestyle relay (3:37.83).
All nine of the top boys’ seeds won their individual events. Six of the nine girls’ top seeds won their individual events.
Borreca and Sun were the only boys to win two individual events.
Kamehameha’s Joshua Tyau (1-meter diving, 395.20 points), Baldwin’s Caleb Rowe (200 individual medley, 1:53.86) and Sun (100 backstroke) defended their boys’ state titles.
Lahainaluna’s Jessi Nohara and Kaiser’s Ashley Swart each won two girls’ events. Nohara won the 200 freestyle (1:53.68) and 100 backstroke (58.68). Swart won the 200 individual medley (2:06.80) and 500 freestyle (5:01.06).
"I’m glad it’s over with," said Swart after winning the 500 freestyle. "I’m glad I got first again."
Swart (500 freestyle) and Waiakea’s Nicole Okuna (100 butterfly, 57.34) defended their girls’ state titles.
Edward Afualo won Kapolei’s first swimming title with a time of 1:00.25 in the 100 backstroke.
"I feel this is just the beginning because we have so much talent coming up from the middle school," Afualo said.
Kapolei has three swimming team members, all freshmen. Afualo was the only Hurricane swimmer to qualify for the state meet.
