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Barry Fourth In Fly

By RICK HARMON

Hernando Today correspondent

Published: November 16, 2008

ORLANDO - Twelve years ago, Springstead's Dan Barry began his swimming career at the Orlando YMCA Aquatic Center.
On Saturday, the senior's competitive career ended in the same pool.
Barry finished fourth in the 100-yard butterfly and 18th in the 50-yard freestyle at the Class 2A Swimming and Diving Championships. His finish in the 100-fly was his best ever after a seventh-place finish in 2006 and ninth in 2007.
"I knew this was going to be my last high school meet," Barry said following the race. "I've been swimming since I was 6. I had my first meet in this pool and this is my last meet competitively. That was kind of significant. I wanted to make my last swim memorable."
Barry was seeded seventh in the 100-fly following the morning prelims but bounced back to take fourth with a time of 52.24, missing All-American consideration by .52 seconds.
"I swam my best time so I was very excited about that," Barry said.
The time was .98 seconds faster than his preliminary time of 53.22. In the 50-free, he recorded a 22.59 in prelims, missing the evening session by .17 seconds.
"I did my best in the fly and free," Barry said. "Whatever the outcome, I was happy just as much with the free as the fly."
Barry may be done with competitive swimming but he always will find a pool to dive into.
"I'll swim the rest of my life – it might not be competitively," he said. "I might just be for leisure or to keep in shape. Swimming is a great sport and I'll always be involved in it."
Hernando County's other participant in the state meet was Central's Barrett Sheffield, who finished 24th in the 100-yard breaststroke with a time of 1:05.21.