Blue Tide Aquatics swimmer Matt Barber

Blue Tide Aquatics swimmer Matt Barber, 17, won two silver medals at the USA Swimming 2008 Speedo Short Course Junior National Championships on Dec. 11-14.

The competition at the University of Texas in Austin brought together the top 18 and under swimmers in the nation.  He swam the 500 yard freestyle finishing second with a time of 4:20.88, but was the fastest U.S. swimmer in the event and set a new Junior National meet record.  He was also second in the 200 yard freestyle in a time of 1:37.88.

Barber commented about his experience: “I enjoyed the competitive atmosphere at the University of Texas pool and it motivated everyone to swim their best.  It was an outstanding racing environment and important part of my preparation for the Junior Pan Pacific Swimming Championships.”

Barber, a junior at Kingwood High School, was recently selected to the USA Swimming 2008-2009 Junior National Team. In January, he will be traveling to Guam to compete in the week-long Junior Pan Pacific Swimming Championships. Teams competing include the U.S., Australia, Japan, and China along with several other countries.   Last summer, Barber competed at the U.S. Olympic Trials in Omaha and traveled with the Junior National Team to Monterrey, Mexico, for the FINA World Youth Swimming Championships.