In the beginning, there were flags.

Tehani Kong spent much of her free time chasing flags.

“My first sport was actually flag football. I believe I was 4. My dad (Vernon Kong) was my coach,” Kong said.

The tykes had already chosen a name: Cowboys.

“I was the only girl. It taught me to be aggressive,” Kong said. “I played football a long time, until I was around 10. I played with my twin sister, but she lost interest.”

There was volleyball and a stint in cross country during elementary school.

“I did soccer for a week,” she added.

Today, the Kalaheo senior is chasing her dreams in a pool. She has competed at the national level, and engaged in the eternally uphill battle — swimming for a public-school team in a sport dominated by private-school programs.

The young Mustangs went to the state championships last season with 11 swimmers in all. This season, Kong is one of only three seniors on a young squad, pushing diligently each day, lap after lap. Each night, they make the journey through Kapaa Quarry Road and arrive at Le Jardin Academy, where they train. Like many high schools, Kalaheo doesn’t have a pool of its own, but the school perched near the Oneawa hillside is making a splash in the water.

Kong has a 3.6 grade-point average and plans to continue her journey at Cal State East Bay next year, majoring in kinesiology.

When she was 11, she went to practice with Aulea Swim Club.

“I remember a very tall girl who was still figuring out how to swim, but loved practice,” coach Joe Glenn said. “From day one, she always wanted to lead her lane.”

She kept growing. The sport became her passion, building bonds and making friends for life.

“Her natural strength has always been her underwater work. She is one of the best in the country at underwater kicking,” Glenn said. “One area she’s really improved on is not being afraid. She used to get scared before big races, and she’s really worked on her fearlessness. We’ve travelled all over the country and she’s raced some of the top youth swimmers in the nation, so she knows how to handle pressure now.”

There is more, particularly as a senior. Kong is on a quest to make new memories. Junior year was busy and full of hope. It was two days before Christmas when the team was at the beach. One of their out-of-the-pool activities was a wrestling competition. At 5 feet, 11 inches tall with years of non-stop training and sports — she liked paddling and volleyball before high school — behind her, Kong always enjoyed a challenge.

“My teammate Zack West and I, our team has this bonding thing every time we go to a travel meet. The last day, we have a wrestling tournament. I’m definitely one of the bigger girls. I was his size. We had a rematch on the beach (in Kailua). That did not go well,” Kong said. “My ankle got pushed into a hole, it wasn’t his fault. It cracked super loud. It scarred me. Just a loud snap. It was slightly crooked.”

The pain was almost as bad as the fear.

“I was kind of scared to tell my dad. It was hours until he came home. He was pretty mad. ‘You have so much potential left, why are you doing this?’ I was crying. I couldn’t get back in the water for four to six weeks. I’m wearing a (walking) boot.”

The ankle healed gradually. By early February, she returned to the pool.

“I wasn’t able to push off it until February. I think it was OK at states. My ankle’s perfectly fine now,” Kong said. “Swimming’s a mental sport. Getting that confidence back, getting back to my best speed.”

In early March, the Mustangs flew to the Big Island. At states at Kamehameha-Hawaii in Keaau, the girls 200-yard freestyle relay team of Kong, Kristen Tanaka, Mia Campora and Paige Heiken placed fifth with a time of 1 minute, 42.6 seconds. In the 200 medley relay, they placed fifth again (1:41.79). It was a good start for Kong.

“Kristen, Mia, that made it special,” Kong said of the then-seniors. “We had a crazy season.”

Her next event was the 50-yard freestyle. Kong placed third (24.35), bringing home more points for Kalaheo.

Then, the 100-yard butterfly. In the preliminary round, Kong was a solid second (56.7) only to heralded Grace Monahan (54.92) of University Lab School. The rest of the field was nearly 2 seconds behind Kong.

“I remember Grace. She’s a super fun competitor and someone I like to chase and keep up with. I had my air pods in thinking, it’s go time. I need to do this. I had so much adrenaline running through me,” Kong recalled.

After all the years of year-round training, the unthinkable happened. Kong false-started.

“I had never seen her DQ in a high school or club meet,” Kalaheo coach Kimi Regula said. “They get up on the blocks and the starter says the command to take your mark. I don’t know if Tehani heard something or anticipated, and she jumped the gun. There’s no movement allowed once that command is given. You need to hold until the horn goes. There was a gasp from everyone at the meet.”

“I haven’t really false-started ever. Time’s going by so slowly in my brain. I didn’t jump in before everyone. My whole body came up off the blocks. I didn’t go in the water, but after I did that, I just kept swimming. It was probably the fastest I swam in awhile,” she said. Monahan was first to finish, followed by Kong. Her time was disqualified, a heartbreaking “DQ” on the ledger. Pain isn’t always a wound easily seen.

“She was on a mission to win. You could see it in the way she walked up to the blocks,” Glenn said. “My other recollection is that she probably knew she was DQ’d during the race, but she never gave up. Win or lose, she always behaves with integrity.”

Regula tried to grasp the moment.

“Everyone knew what happened. She was upset. I’ve never seen her cry before, but there were tears and disappointment, and she collected herself. She’s a great leader and a great mentor. She cheered for her teammates and really moved forward from it,” Regula said.

Getting on the stage and belting it out is almost natural for Kong. She sometimes sings the national anthem and “Hawaii Pono‘i” before swim meets. She never stays in the past.

The next measure is already waiting.

“My parents are always supportive of me. They push me hard, but they don’t get too involved where I feel stressed or drained. When I’m down, they let me know I truly did my best and there’s good coming,” she said.

When Glenn speaks, she listens.

“My Coach Joe, he’s super supportive, as well. He won’t tell you, ‘Good job’ just when it’s mediocre. He really means it when he says, ‘Good job.’ He will put every minute and second of his time to help you be your best. It really means a lot when your coach expects more than even you thought you could do,” Kong said.

“He’s been telling other coaches how much he believes in me, and that helps a lot.”

As the OIA season continues, Kong has a multitude of events. At the state level, the 50 freestyle will include Sage Miller of ‘Iolani, who won the event at KS-Hawaii. Michelle Axelson of Kealakehe was the runner-up, followed by Kong.

The 100-yard butterfly, with Monahan now in college, is an open field. Of the top four finishers, three have graduated. Kong takes nothing for granted, grinding away at her craft like an underdog rather than a possible favorite.

“She’s posting really fast times at the national level,” Regula said. “I would give credit to her club coach, Joe Glenn. He’s worked with her for a long time from an age-group swimmer to a national-level athlete. She’s so coachable, such a great leader. I’m already sad that she’s a senior. What am I going to do next year without her? She asks questions, has dialogue with coaches, makes adjustments and changes. Sometimes you just have to tell her, just let your body do it. Just swim. Sometimes you need to shut off your brain. Your body’s going to know what to do.”

Kong’s level of focus and grit has been a constant.

“I met Tehani on the team during an Arizona travel meet. I remember she was always the one focused on racing and doing what she needed to be doing to succeed,” said Tanaka, who graduated last June. “She was always the one to take leadership and loved making new friends. Tehani cares about others and wants everyone to do well, and will help them to do that whether it is words of motivation, tips or just a friend to sit with.”

There is a renewed energy, possibly different, even if Kong rarely talks about the false start at states. Kong is firmer than ever about goals.

“My friends, they uplift me and support everything I do. I tend to be pretty blunt with people and they mirror that and do the same. I don’t want to hear any bad advice. They know what’s best for me,” Kong said. “I remind myself along with my teammates, we remind each other especially when a set is super hard and energy is down. Swimming, you have to be there every day on time. If you slack at practice, it’s going to show in your times. It may not show for the next meet or the one after that, but it’s coming.”

Whether it was fun, rough-house wrestling — something she is officially retired from — or any other activity with teammates, building new memories is something that never stops.

“We have been best friends for over five years and she’s grown so much since I’ve known her,” Tanaka said. “She’s still motivated, still willing to go the extra mile. Her drive and love for swimming always inspired me. Tehani is the best person to go on spontaneous adventures with. We’ve had so much fun scaling mountains and exploring beaches. She never fails to reciprocate things in our friendship and cares a lot about doing what is best for others. I always tell her to give herself the same love she gives out.”

TEHANI KONG

Senior • Kalaheo swimming, water polo

>> Top 3 movies/shows

1. “Maleficent.”

2. “The 100.”

3. “Surf’s Up.” “I’ve seen it probably 20 times.”

>> Top 3 food/snacks/drinks

1. Cream cheese rangoons, Panda Express.

2. Fettuccine Alfredo pasta, CPK.

3. Cheeseburger, Kua Aina Sandwich Shop (Haleiwa).

>> Top 3 homemade foods

1. Mom’s baked chicken.

2. Mom’s baked salmon.

3. Dad’s steak.

“Mom (Shelly) makes chicken once a week. Dad (Vernon) makes steaks once a month. I can make all of these, but definitely not as good as them.”

>> Top 3 music artists (and your favorite song by each)

1. Bruno Mars (with Gucci Mane, Kodak Black) – “Wake Up in The Sky”

2. Drake – “Best I Ever Had”

3. Rhianna.

>> GPA: 3.6.

“I struggled a bit in my math classes last year. But I’m going strong, 4.0 this year.”

>> College major: Kinesiology.

“When I broke my ankle I was interested in how the body heals. Maybe be a trainer, but I see myself being a fire fighter. My goal is to get into HFD. I’ve always admired fire men and women. To serve through that would be crazy. My uncle’s a firefighter, and my dad is a police officer. I told him numerous times. I want to be a cop like you. ‘No, go do something more safe.’ ”

>> Favorite teacher: Miss. (Kimberly) Koopman.

“She’s my AP Biology teacher. Super caring, super smart. She cares for everyone around her. She makes sure everyone is up to speed. She’s super obsessed with the color pink and pigs. She has a whole wall of pig stuffed animals that she’s gotten from students.”

>> Favorite classes: Weight training, jewelry making.

“I took it sophomore year. I like lifting and it’s an easy A. An easy way to get my workout done at school. Better management for my time. I also like my jewelry making. class. Bangles, earrings, wood pieces. I definitely lose track of time when I’m making my little bracelets with beads. It’s fun. My teacher is an actual jewelry artist.”

>> Funniest teammate: Tom Caps.

“He graduated last year and swims for UH now. He has these one-liners. When I’d make a joke, he’d bust out laughing. His energy is super contagious.”

>> Smartest teammate: Zack West.

“He also graduated last year. He’s at MIT now. He’s crazy smart at math, any homework or project, he’s got you. He was one of our valedictorians. He’s definitely one of the people willing to help.”

>> Favorite athlete: “I have a lot of favorites, just swimmers Caeleb Dressel, Michael Andrew. Katie Ledecky, seeing how aggressive she races is pretty inspiring. Pretty good character in the swimming community. It’s fun watching strong female athletes compete.”

>> Time machine

“I definitely would go pretty far back to meet my first ancestors. I don’t really know. I’ve been told I’m half Chinese, but I don’t really have much idea. I’d try to be friends with them. I wouldn’t tell them that I’m their descendant. It would just be cool to know. It’s hard to believe that my dad is full Chinese. We haven’t taken the ancestry test for him, but for my grandpa, he’s a bit Polynesian or (Pacific) islander, so we don’t know for sure. I kind of want to know what our ethnicities are. My grandpa is born here.”

>> Hidden talents: singing and braiding.

“I’m decent at singing. I’m not afraid to go out and sing. I just been asked or volunteered to sing at swim meets. I sang at this Marine Corps ball. ‘Star-Spangled Banner’ and ‘Hawaii Pono‘i.’ It was kind scary singing in front of Marines. Just look at the flag, Tehani. I’m pretty good at braiding hair. I used to watch these YouTube videos.”