'Iolani swimmer may go to nationals
Advertiser Staff
'Iolani School sophomore Hong Zhe Sun, 15, won four events during the weekend at the Speedo Northwest Section championships of USA Swimming.
Swimming in the men's division of the short-course meet, Sun won the 200-yard individual medley in 1 minute, 51.48 seconds; the 50 butterfly in 50.19; the 200 backstroke in 1:46.22; and the 100 backstroke in 49.34 seconds.
'Iolani School sophomore Hong Zhe Sun qualified for the U.S. Senior Nationals in the 100 backstroke.
He qualified for the U.S. Senior National Championship meet in the 100 backstroke, beating his previous personal best of 49.71 by nearly 4/10ths of a second. He qualified for the U.S. Open, a less prestigious event, in four other events. Sun also swam on two 'Iolani Swim Club relay teams that qualified for the U.S. Open.
Sun, a native of Shanghai, was hand-picked to be a swimmer and sent to a school for athletes at age 4 in China. He moved to Hawai'i with his family at age 7 and blossomed under a less severe coaching regimen.
He set two meet records Feb. 24 in the state high school championship meet.
Several other Hawai'i swimmers excelled at the Northwest Sectional meet at Federal Way, Wash., last weekend.
Ashley Swart, a multisport junior at Kaiser High School, qualified for the U.S. Open in five events, including freestyle, breaststroke and individual medley. Her best finish was third in the 200 breaststroke. Five others from Hawai'i also bettered Open qualifying standards.
