Canyons Men's Swim Takes Third at PCC Invitational

Stock image of COC swim & dive student-athlete Ahmed Abdelsalam.
Results
April 15, 2023

Story and photo by Mari Kneisel/COC Sports Information 

PASADENA — College of the Canyons competed at the 22nd Annual Pasadena City College Invitational, with the men's team swimming to a third-place team finish.

The two-day event consisted of 12 community college programs from across the Southern California region. 

COC freshman Ahmed Abdelsalam continued to perform well taking first place in the 200-yard freestyle event (1:51.39). He also went on to claim a second-place result in the 100-yard freestyle event (48.94). Abdelsalam swam in eight events for the Cougars and raked in double-digit points in each, including the four relays he anchored.

Canyons saw sophomore Christian Cruz in nine events, taking fourth in the 200-yard backstroke (2:12.49) where he was followed by Bence Endresz a few strokes behind in seventh (2:14.67).

Cruz was also instrumental in all five relay events the Cougars were a part of, as was sophomore Martin Wise.

Individually, Wise worked for a seventh-place finish in the 200-yard breakstroke event (2:32.60) and claimed a ninth-place finish in the 100-yard backstroke (1:08.29). Sophomore Keanu Pence hit the wall second in the 200-yard butterfly event with his time of 2:15.67.

The group of Cruz, Endresz, Wise and Abdelsalam claimed fifth-place in the 200-yard freestyle relay with a time of 1:31.41. The same group went on to also take second in the 800-yard freestyle relay. 

The women's squad procured a twelfth-place finish at the Invite.  

Freshman Ella Pratt represented the Cougars in the 100-yard and 200-yard breakstroke events, claiming a 15th finish (1:22.15) and 14th (2:56.79) finish, respectively.  

COC sophomore Shea Zapolsky worked for a 12th place finish in the 200-yard backstroke. 

Zapolsky also represented the Cougars in the 50-yard freestyle sprinting event (30.45) where she claimed the 34th spot. Isabella Robles-Lahr was a stroke ahead of her in 32nd (30.13). 

Pratt, Mia Paras, Ariana Nunez and Robles-Lahr all worked for the 12th place finish in the 400-yard freestyle relay with a time of 4:28.34. 

Full results can be found here.

The Cougars will next be swim at Los Angeles Valley College for the Western State Conference Swim Championships. The three-day event will span April 20-22.

Stay up to date on all this season's action by following the College of the Canyons Athletic department on social media at @COCathletics on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube.