Fitter and Faster Swim Camps is the proud sponsor of SwimSwam’s College Recruiting Channel and all commitment news. For many, swimming in college is a lifelong dream that is pursued with dedication and determination. Fitter and Faster is proud to honor these athletes and those who supported them on their journey.
A member of the Cayman Islands National Team, Harper Barrowman has announced that she will be coming to the United States this fall, leaving her hometown of George Town, Cayman Islands to swim at Drexel University. Barrowman currently swims club with the Seven Mile Swimmers swim club.
Harper isn’t the first member of her family to swim at the NCAA and international level. Her father, Michael Barrowman, was the 1992 Olympic gold medalist in the 200 breast and set the world record in the event multiple times. He swam collegiately at the University of Michigan.
Last year, Barrowman represented her country on the national level at multiple competitions, including the Pan American Games and World Championships.
At the Pan American Games last October, Barrowman represented the Cayman Islands in the 100 free, 200 free, 400 free, and 800 free, finishing in the top twenty of the 400 and 800. Her top finish came in the 400 free, with her time of 4:28.38 being good enough to earn her tenth in the B-final of the event. She took eleventh in the 800 free in 9:18.17.
Three months earlier, Barrowman posted a pair of lifetime best times at the 2023 World Championships. Her top finish at that meet came in the 400 free, where she touched in thirty-sixth with a personal best of 4:26.88. She also added a forty-seventh place finish in the 200 free in 2:06.49.
In 2022, Barrowman was named as an honorable mention for SwimSwam’s Central American/Caribbean Female Swimmer of the Year for her efforts at the 2022 Commonwealth Games. At that meet, she became the first female swimmer from the Cayman Islands to ever qualify for finals at the meet, taking eighth with a time of 9:13.67 at just sixteen years old.
Top LCM Times (and SCY Conversions)
- 50 free – 27.70 (24.23)
- 100 free – 59.52 (52.18)
- 200 free – 2:06.49 (1:51.07)
- 400/500 free – 4:26.88 (4:59.02)
- 800/1000 free – 9:11.72 (10.18.17)
- 1500/1650 free – 17:23.37 (17.02.91)
Once Barrowman adjusts to training and competing in yards, she should be a huge addition to the Drexel program. With her converted times, she would have been one of the team’s top performers last season across the entire range of freestyle events. She would have been the team’s second-fastest performer in both the 200 and 500 freestyles and would have led the program in the 1650 free.
Last season, the Dragons finished in sixth out of eight teams at the 2023 Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) Swimming and Diving Conference Championships. Barrowman would have picked scored for the team in multiple events, with her time in the 1650 being good enough to take seventh and her times in the 200 and 500 freestyles being quick enough to score in the B-final.
Barrowman will immediately have a chance at rewriting the school’s record book as well, with her converted times making her faster than the program’s current freshman record in the 200 free. She’s also less than three seconds off of the school’s freshman 500 free record and nine seconds away from the 1650 record.
If you have a commitment to report, please send an email with a photo (landscape, or horizontal, looks best) and a quote to [email protected].
About the Fitter and Faster Swim Tour
Fitter & Faster Swim Camps feature the most innovative teaching platforms for competitive swimmers of all levels. Camps are produced year-round throughout the USA and Canada. All camps are led by elite swimmers and coaches. Visit fitterandfaster.com to find or request a swim camp near you.
FFT SOCIAL
Instagram – @fitterandfasterswimtour
Facebook – @fitterandfastertour
Twitter – @fitterandfaster
FFT is a SwimSwam partner