Liberty freshman Adam Barlow left everything in the pool with his first-place victory in the 100 breaststroke at the District XI Class 3A Swimming Championships on March 1 at Parkland High School.

In the second-to-last event of the meet, Barlow out touched Nazareth’s Anthony Quaranta, 58.26-58.62, for the district gold medal.

“I didn’t really know (I had won) because I couldn’t get my goggles off,” Barlow said. “I just gave up on it, and looked up at the clock, and that’s when I saw it, and I’m like, oh, yup, I got it. Everyone was congratulating me. I think I gave 15 people hugs.”

Quaranta, a senior, was in the lane next to Barlow.

“I kind of lost sight of it and kept focusing on my race,” said Barlow. “That first 50, I felt myself gliding more...That third 25, I pulled ahead, and then that last 25 was when he started to catch up, and I was already too far ahead.”

Still, Barlow felt so much fatigue in the second 50 that he said he barely got by.

“I had to put my head down and keep my elbows in on that insweep and not over exaggerate the stroke but keep it as simple and keep it as strict to the form as possible,” he said. “It was getting my form down, and before the two-week prep for [districts], I was trying to weight lift and lift as much as possible so I could build muscle to prepare for that event. There was a lot that went into that event.”

Liberty assistant swim coach Jeff Matyus presented Barlow with his gold medal.

“That was new to me because I’ve never been up on that before,” Barlow said. “I’ve been in third place before but I’ve never been up on the top of the podium before.”

Barlow will compete against 31 other breaststrokers at the PIAA Class 3A State Swimming Championships on March 15 at Bucknell University.