Cavic Breaks 20 Seconds in 50 Free

Tustin High senior Michael Cavic became the second swimmer to break 20 seconds in the 50-yard freestyle in a high school meet, accomplishing it Saturday at the Santa Ana Foothill Swim Games.

Cavic won the race in 19.94 seconds, just missing the national high school record of 19.91, set by Houston Memorial’s Anthony Robinson in 1997.

“It’s nice to be in the under-20-second club,” said Cavic, who swam for Yugoslavia at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

Cavic didn’t shave or taper for the meet, something he plans to do next month at the Southern Section championships. “It’s right there,” Cavic said of the record.

The Irvine girls’ team set five meet records and easily won the team competition with 268 points. Santa Margarita was second (195) and Foothill and San Clemente tied for third (142).

Setting meet records were Irvine’s Courtney Cashion at 23.89 in the 50 freestyle and 51.37 in the 100 freestyle, Diana MacManus at 56.48 in the 100 backstroke and the Irvine 200 medley (1:48.63) and 400 freestyle (3:33.43) relay teams.

San Clemente won the boys’ competition with 216 points, Santa Margarita was second (172) and Anaheim Esperanza third (132).