The SMST Buccaneers claimed another victory at the March 2025 Age Group Swimming Championships, held from March 8th to March 9th. Hosted annually by St. Mary’s, this event is one of the biggest tournaments of the swimming season, attracting top teams from across Japan.
The Buccaneers secured first place with a total score of 3,265 points, outpacing the second-place Tokyo American Club Swim Team, which scored 2,990 points, and third-place Yokosuka Junior Seahawks Swim, which earned 1,326.50 points. Nicolas R. was the 15-18 years old champion. With Lyle H., Hotaka K. and Adam S. winning gold, silver and bronze respectively in the 11-12 years old division. Thanks to their outstanding performances, it reinforced the team’s reputation as a dominant force in competitive swimming.
Two standout swimmers from the Buccaneers, Rin, and Victor, shared insights into their performances. Rin competed in six events, including the 400m Freestyle, 200m Fly, and 50m Free. Rin reflected on his races and said, “My performance was okay, but I need to work on my endurance for future meets.” Victor, who participated in events like the 100m Backstroke and 50m Fly, achieved a personal best time by dropping three seconds in the 50m Fly. “It was a challenging two-day meet, and I was very tired, but I’m happy with my improvement,” he noted. Victor also identified flip-turn breakouts as an area for improvement.
The Komaba Toritsu High School Swim Team is small but has many fast swimmers. It finished fourth overall with 1,168 points. They were a dominant force when facing off, and watching the Buccaneers to gain new perspectives on swimming.
Victor has been swimming competitively for five years and is already setting ambitious goals. “By my senior year, I want to swim the 50m Free in under 24 seconds and place in the top three at a major tournament,” he said.
Congratulations to the team for outstanding achievement at this year’s March Age Group Swimming Championships!
