Venice Regains City Swimming Title

If Venice High needed additional inspiration to win the City Section boys’ swimming title, it got plenty in the form of alumnus Henry Showers.

Showers, a former Gondolier who won five individual City titles, arrived home from his freshman year at Georgetown at 4 a.m. Wednesday.

About 12 hours later, Showers was at Belmont Plaza, helping motivate Venice as it reclaimed the City title, sweeping the three relays and finishing with 236 points, 16 ahead of Van Nuys Birmingham.

“I’m just trying to tell them what it felt like two years ago,” said Showers, who won the City title with Venice in 1994 before graduating last year.

The Gondoliers were led by junior Adam Uehara, who won the 200 freestyle in 1 minute 48.50 seconds, and defended his title in the 100 backstroke, in 56.59 seconds, chopping two seconds off last year’s time.

Granada Hills won its second consecutive girls’ title behind sisters Natalie and Stephanie Shapiro.

Natalie Shapiro, a junior, won titles in the 100 butterfly (59.91) and 200 freestyle (1:57.91). Sophomore Stephanie Shapiro won the 500 freestyle (5:04.65) and 200 individual medley (2:10.86).

The Shapiros, along with Katherine Nielson and Sarah Clark, set a City record in the 200 medley relay, timing 1:55.71, breaking the old mark of 1:55.75, set in 1993.

Woodland Hills El Camino Real placed second, 57 points behind the Highlanders.