honoluluadvertiser.com

Sponsored by:

Comment, blog & share photos

Log in | Become a member
The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Sunday, January 4, 2009

Simms at home at Kalani meet

Photo gallery: 32nd Annual Kalani Invitational

By Wes Nakama
Advertiser Staff Writer

Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

Swimmers at the Kalani Invitational start the girls 50-yard freestyle race, which was won by Shanelle Choi of Pearl City in 24.78 seconds.

ANDREW SHIMABUKU | The Honolulu Advertiser

spacer spacer
Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

Christel Simms

spacer spacer

Five months after swimming in Beijing's sparkling "Water Cube" at the 2008 Summer Olympics — sharing the venue with the likes of Michael Phelps, Natalie Coughlin and Dana Torres — Punahou School senior Christel Simms was back among her peers yesterday at the 32nd Annual Kalani Invitational.

And loving it.

"It's still exciting," said Simms, who competed in the 50- and 100-meter freestyle for the Philippines in Beijing. "I took a couple months off after the Olympics, and this is my last high school season, my last Kalani Invitational, so I'm excited."

Simms set a meet record in the 100-yard butterfly in Friday's trials, covering the distance in 58.08 seconds. She barely missed beating that mark in yesterday's finals, posting a time of 58.15.

"I went out too fast and kind of died coming home," Simms said. "I went out and tried my best, tried to better everything today."

Besides the 100 fly, Simms also won the 100 backstroke with a time of 58.20 and helped the Buffanblu win the 200 and 400 free relays.

Simms has taken on more of a leadership role as one of only three seniors for Punahou, which graduated several state champions last year.

"During practice she's become more of a vocal leader," said Buffanblu assistant coach Jon Koshiba. "Before she would lead by example, which she still does, but now she has all the experience and credentials to help the younger girls."

Koshiba said that includes sacrificing personal glory.

"She's always asking what she can do to help the team out," Koshiba said. "We had a really talented group last year, but this year the girls have to rely on each other more."

Simms, who signed a national letter of intent in November to accept a full scholarship from the University of Southern California, was the only record-setter at this year's Kalani Invitational.

BOYS

TEAM STANDINGS

1, Punahou 376 points. 2, 'Iolani 293. 3, Kaiser 193. 4, Mililani 175. 5, Kalani 141. 6, Pac-Five 137. 7, Kapolei 118. 8, Kamehameha 110. 9, Moanalua 94. 10, Castle 87. 11, Leilehua 86. 12, Pearl City 84. 13, Roosevelt 71. 14, Le Jardin 34. 15, Mid-Pacific 32. 16, Island Pacific 31. 17, McKinley 20. 18, Seabury Hall 17. 19, Baldwin 15. 20, Kalaheo 14.

INDIVIDUAL RESULTS

1m diving: 1, Kainoa Lopes (Kais) 390.50. 2, Austin Howlett (Sea) 339.70. 3, Beau Brians (Kais) 321.40. 200 medley relay: 1, Punahou (Avery Chern, Jonathan Nishida, Jason Frifeldt, Ruddy Kiessling) 1:42.93. 2, 'Iolani 1:43.29. 3, Kaiser 1:45.94. 200 freestyle: 1, Geramiah Simoes ('Iol) 1:47.73. 2, Taylor Fife (IPA) 1:48.16. 3, Jayson Hagi (Kap) 1:49.54. 200 IM: 1, Kacy Johnson ('Iol) 1:55.28. 2, Thomas Yi (Kaln) 2:04.49. 3, Dane Kawamoto (Mili) 2:07.30. 50 freestyle: 1, Ruddy Kiessling (Pun) 22.40. 2, Aaron Pasoquen (Lei) 22.72. 3, Rayfe Gaspar-Asaoka ('Iol) 22.98. 100 butterfly: 1, Geramiah Simoes ('Iol) 53.37. 2, Avery Chern (Pun) 54.21. 3, Caelan Kakalia (Kais) 55.00. 100 freestyle: 1, Aaron Pasoquen (Lei) 49.98. 2, Rayfe Gaspar-Asaoka ('Iol) 50.07. 3, Eric Weinhardt (P5) 51.39. 500 freestyle: 1, Kacy Johnson ('Iol) 4:42.54. 2, Daren Choi (PC) 4:52.03. 3, Jayson Hagi (Kap) 4:54:11. 200 freestyle relay: 1, 'Iolani (Kacy Johnson, Geramiah Simoes, Kevin Jones, Ian White) 1:30.11. 2, Punahou 1:32.31. 3, Pac-Five 1:39.99. 100 backstroke: 1, Daren Choi (PC) 54.52. 2, Thomas Yi (Kaln) 56.28. 3, Avery Chern (Pun) 57.61. 100 breaststroke: 1, Kila Pickering (KS) 1:00.13. 2, Marc Okimura (Pun) 1:00.74. 3, Evan Rosca (Moa) 1:03.62. 400 freestyle relay: 1, 'Iolani (Rayfe Gaspar-Asaoka, Ian White, Kevin Jones, Kacy Johnson) 3:18.53. 2, Kaiser 3:28.51. 3, Kalani 3:31.31.

GIRLS

TEAM STANDINGS

1, 'Iolani 381.5 points. 2, Punahou 361.5. 3, Pac-Five 228.5. 4, Mililani 225. 5, Kamehameha 190. 6, Kapolei 169. 7, Le Jardin 123.5. 8, Kaiser 115. 9, Pearl City 95. 10, Roosevelt 68. 11, Leilehua 59. 12, Kalani 55. 13, Kaimuki 43. 14, Moanalua 32. 15t, Kalaheo 27. 15t, Radford 27. 17, Baldwin 25. 18, Campbell 18. 19, Maui 16. 20. McKinley 6.

INDIVIDUAL RESULTS

1m diving: 1, Chelaine Eliazar (Pun) 364.20. 2, Kathryn Chinn (Pun) 342.10. 3, Sheyenne Machida (Maui) 340.25. 200 medley relay: 1, 'Iolani (Sandy Chun, Marie Calvet, Kira Sasaki, Carolyn Li) 1:55.87. 2, Kamehameha 1:57.79. 3, Punahou 1:57.92. 200 freestyle: 1, LillyBelle Deer (Pun) 2:01.21. 2, Josette Gose (Mili) 2:02.72. 3, Stephanie Chun ('Iol) 2:03.19. 200 IM: 1, Kiana White (Mili) 2:15.95. 2, Kimberlee Cadell (KS) 2:17.24. 3, Kendra Rask (Pun) 2:22:45. 50 freestyle: 1, Shanelle Choi (PC) 24.78. 2, Rachel Fujita (Pun) 24.79. 3, Madeline Jamora (Kap) 25.46. 100 butterfly: 1, Christel Simms (Pun) 58.15. 2, Shanelle Choi (PC) 1:01.11. 3, Catherine Nakamura (P5) 1:01.71. 100 freestyle: 1, Rachel Fujita (Pun) 53.82. 2, LillyBelle Deer (Pun) 56.33. 3, Stephanie Chun ('Iol) 56.78. 500 freestyle: 1, Trisha Ishikawa (Kaim) 5:29.63. 2, Alex Daley (Mili) 5:30.47. 3, Kira Sasaki ('Iol) 5:31.98. 200 freestyle relay: 1, Punahou (Christel Simms, Rachel Fujita, Kendra Rask, Zoe Namba) 1:41.58. 2, 'Iolani 1:44.83. 3, Pac-Five 1:47.05. 100 backstroke: 1, Christel Simms (Pun) 58.20. 2, Madeline Jamora (Kap) 1:02.36. 3, Remy Hirai (KS) 1:03.48. 100 breaststroke: 1, Kiana White (Mili) 1:09.58. 2, Kimberlee Cadell (KS) 1:11.70. 3, Marie Calvet ('Iol) 1:12.29. 400 freestyle relay: 1, Punahou (LillyBelle Deer, Rachel Fujita, Christel Simms, Brailey Hirose-Hulbert) 3:41.64. 2, 'Iolani 3:49.02. 3, Mililani 3:51.48.

Read his blog on high school sports at http://preptalk.honadvblogs.com.

Reach Wes Nakama at wnakama@honoluluadvertiser.com.