KEAAU – Michelle Axelson appreciated her backstroke, tipping her cap to the only swimmer who could beat her.
Kai Hayashida left it all in the pool and was proud his exhaustive effort made his race as close as it was.
Maluhia Kaye screamed with excitement after finishing runner-up in the breaststroke.
There were no gold medals to be had Saturday for Big Island swimmers at the HHSAA championships, but silver linings were easy to find at Naeole Pool.
For the most part.
Axelson, a Kealakehe sophomore, posted top three finishes in all four of her events with three silvers to lead the Waveriders to a second-place finish, but it was her runner-up in the 50-yard freestyle that left a sting.
“I’m extremely mad at myself, ” said Axelson, who lowered her personal best to 23:66. “I wanted first.
“I usually focus on time, but this week it was first because the person that beat me was a freshman (Sage Miller).”
Last weekend at the age group championships in Pahoa, Axelson finished with a lower time than Miller in the 50, but the Iolani ninth-grader outtouched the BIIF record-holder Saturday, finishing in 23:51.
Could this be a budding rivalry?
“Oh, yeah,” Axelson said. “Definitely.”
Hayashida, a Hilo High junior, made a furious rush in a bid to become the first BIIF boy to strike gold since 2011, finishing behind Iolani sophomore Evan Wong (1:42:08) in 1:42.36 in the 200 freestyle
“I did everything I could, my best time and that’s all I could ask for,” said Hayashida, who also won two bronze medals. “These competitors are very strong, you always want to go up against the best. You like to win, but dropping time, doing really well, I’m very happy with how I did today.”
He also took third in the butterfly, then he was among the Vikings who cheered on Kaye in the breaststroke. The senior savored the chance to go up against Le Jardin senior Thomas Caps, who touched in 56.67, more than 2 seconds ahead of Kaye.
“Extremely happy,” Kaye said. “I’ve been wanting to race him since sophomore year. He’s such a positive dude. When I finally got to race him, even though I came in second, I had a ton of fun.”
Kealakehe’s girls beat all the private schools except for powerhouse Punahou, which dominated in winning its sixth consecutive state title.
Buffanblu senior Andrea Zeebe claimed the 100 freestyle and backstroke, relegating Axelson to silver in 55.72 in the latter event.
“That girls amazing,” Axelson (58.11) said. “She deserves everything she gets.”
Axelson’s first silver came in the 200 medley relay along with Myong Jeong, Daisy Marquardt and Ava Bandt. Axelson anchored the 200 freestyle relay as she, Bandt, Jayden Hall and Diana Garcia captured bronze.
Marquardt was fifth in the 200 individual medley and Hall was fifth in the 200 free.
Iolani claimed its first boys state title since 2009, dethroning seven-time champion Punahou.
Hilo High was fifth and second among public schools. In winning bronze in the 200 free relay, Kaye and Hayashida handled the first half before handing off to Dakota Domingo and Gage Barrilleaux. Kaye and Hayashida made a bid for another bronze, but the Viks’ 400 free relay team was fourth.
Swimmers winning double individual gold in addition to Zeebe were:
• University’s Grace Monahan (200 IM, butterfly)
• Punahou’s Kai Flanagan (200 and 500). Zeebe and Flanagan each went 4-for-4 in winning gold.
• Kalaheo’s Zack West (backstroke, 200 IM)
• Caps (50 free, breaststroke)
• Wong (200 free, 500 free)
For all of their winning, Kaye sounded as if he left the meet as content as anyone.
“If I could do it all again, I’d do it exactly the same,” he said.