Swimmers step up to qualify for CIF

Competing this year in a more challenging division than prior seasons, the Culver City High School Centaur swim team is working on improving times to qualify for the CIF championships.

Showing they are up to the task, the Centaur varsity boys and frosh/soph girls placed third out of 15 teams, and the frosh/soph boys finished fourth in the John Marrow Invitational Swim Meet at Beverly Hills High School.

Three swimmers qualified for CIF post-season competition in individual events: senior Michael Dozal in the 100-meter breaststroke and 200-meter individual medley (IM); sophomore Chris Abdelmalak in the 100-meter breaststroke; and senior Dzenan Kapetanovic in the 100-meter backstroke. Two relays also qualified: the 200-meter medley relay with Dozal, Kapetanovic, Abdelmalak and junior Christobal Galvan; and the 200-meter free relay with senior Nikita Chizov.

Out of about 40 Centaur swimmers in the prelims, half made it back to the finals at Beverly Hills.