By Kavish Siddhartha
At just 15 years old, Delaney Barbee showcased her incredible skill and composure at the Olympic trials last month in Indianapolis, marking the beginning of what promises to be an extraordinary swimming career.
With six years of club swimming experience under her belt, Barbee has become the standout swimmer of the Arizona Dolphins. As the team’s top-ranked swimmer, she dominates the 50, 100, and 200 freestyle events, while also making impressive showings in the butterfly and backstroke.
Barbee ranked first in the girls’ 50 free for the 2023/2024 season while also holding numerous state records, something she’s been doing for years now.
“I think the first state record I broke was really cool when I was 12,” Barbee said. “It was the 11-12 long course meter 50 freestyle and I think it was a 30-40 year old record until I broke it and it was an awesome moment for me. The first of many state records for me.”
Although Barbee has gotten used to state records, she recently had her first trip to the Olympic trials. As the only swimmer from her club team to make it to the trials, Barbee’s proud to be able to represent her club and teammates at such a big stage.
“I’m happy that I’ve been able to represent the Arizona Dolphins at trials because that’s the team I’ve been on since I’ve started swimming,” Barbee said. “I’m really close to all my teammates, most of them are seniors who are graduating this year but they’ve been great training partners throughout this process”.
Barbee has not only improved her skills in the water but has also learned about the dedication and commitment that comes with swimming.
“[She’s] learning what it means to be good at something and still work at it,” Arizona Dolphins head coach Paul Root said. “So it’s just been step by step over the past five years of her coming into her own as far as understanding talent is great to have and natural ability is fantastic, but learning how to work hard is a skill and she’s gotten a lot better at that”.
A large focus for Barbee and her coaches was to prepare for any potential adversity by using fear and nerves to their advantage.
“In my opinion, you’re going to be overwhelmed, there’s no fighting it,” Root said. “But in that emotion, you do get two choices, you can choose fear or use can choose joy. So we talked a lot about that and she did, she chose joy. I thought she swam great, she handled herself like a pro. The moment wasn’t too big for her.”
Being one of the younger swimmers at the trials, Barbee allowed herself to absorb the experience while also looking at the big picture.
“I was a little nervous just being a younger athlete there,” Barbee said. “No one really knew who I was but I knew who everyone there was. It didn’t affect me too much, I was there for the experience, taking it all in. So when the next olympic year 2028 comes around, I’ll be in college. I can take that meet more seriously and hopefully make the olympic team.”
Although Barbee may not have gotten the result she hoped at the Olympic trials, taking in the experience and competing with the best has given her the drive to aim for competing at the next Olympic cycle taking place in Los Angeles in 2028.
While Barbee’s talent and work ethic are pivotal in her success against top competitors, it’s her character and mindset that truly ensure her bright future.
“She’s got a stellar future ahead of her, she’s showing no signs of slowing down,” Root said. “The hardest thing for these kids to do is continue improving after they turn 14 and she’s already done that. I think what separates her is that she’s very involved in her church and that centers her. She knows who she is away from the sport and that allows her to have success in the sport.”
