Barry Pope is very much a rising star of Australian swimming. In April 2022, he made a fantastic debut at the Australian Age Championships in Adelaide.
Seeing his performance, it is hard to believe that this young man only turned 14 years old one month before the championships. It is even more impressive when you think he completed the championships with two top five finishes and three personal bests. Considering that he only took part in four events, it is even more remarkable.
Out of the 49 entrants in the 14 year Boys 100 metre butterfly, Barry seeded number 15. That is impressive for a young man his age. In the finals, the Redcliffe High school student was hard to beat with a personal best of 58.60 second.
Also, in the 50 metre butterfly, Barry was seeded 35 out of the 105 entries. He made the finals and finished fifth in the final race with a personal best time of 26.38 seconds.
Barry Pope's Outstanding Season
It has to be said that Barry has had an outstanding season. According to his coaching team, he and his fellow swimmers are shining examples of the butterfly stroke.
Not only does Barry compete in butterfly. He is also a fantastic freestyle swimmer. He finished 53rd out of 107 entries setting a time of 57.11 seconds as reported in the Moreton Daily.
Barry also took part in the 50 metre freestyle which fielded 205 entries. He managed to come an impressive 44 setting a personal best time of 25.92 seconds.
Barry's Support and Coaching Team
Barry has a fantastic support and coaching team. In Adelaide, Barry was supported by his parents and swim coach Jayden Hadler from Souther Cross Swimming Club.
Jayden Hadler comes with an impressive past. He is a former international, Olympic and Commonwealth swimmer. Jayden competed for Australia in the London 2012 Olympics.
Today, Jayden coaches young swimmers at the Southern Cross Swimming Club which incorporates his own swim school Ripple Swim.
The Adelaide event completed an outstanding season for Barry Pope. His hard training and talent has seen him win state titles along with state schools championships. On top of that, he also has five national finishes to his name.
What Does It Take to Become A Teen Swim Champion?
We should not underestimate the fact that Pope has got talent. That being said, there are many other factors that play a role.
Not only does Barry study hard, but he trains hard as well. Just like his coach, Jayden Hadler, it seems that this young man is going to go a long way.
To make it as a champion swimmer, you also need to have dedication. This is challenging for young men like Barry. Not only does Barry put in long hours in the pool. Barry also has to cope with school work.
From time to time, it essential that Barry gets time to do the things many of his contemporaries do. Otherwise his life would only be about work and no fun. However, from the smile on his face, it is clear that Barry enjoys his time in the pool.
Southern Cross Swimming Club
When you would like to get more involved with swimming, or think that you have a rising swimming star in the family, go ahead and contact the Southern Cross Swimming Club.
The club has excellent facilities which are open to club members all year round. If you don’t want to swim, but still feels passionate about swimming, there are many other club activities you can get involved with as a supporter.
The club also benefits from Ripple Swim which is the swim school set up by Jayden Hadler. Just like his father, Jayden has gone on to become one of the top coaches at Southern Cross Swimming.
Jayden loves to share his knowledge and experience of swimming with swimmers of all levels.
Final Thoughts
For a teen, Barry Pope has certainly achieved amazing things. There is more to come from this talented teen.
Swimming is a fantastic sport to get involved with at any level. You don’t need to be a champion swimmer to enjoy the sport. Swimming is a great way of keeping fit at any stage in your life.
You can find out more about Southern Cross Swimming School and Ripple Swim when you want to get involved.
