Congratulations to brothers Jack (Year 13) and Dominic (Dom) (Year 10) Barton, who have achieved a remarkable milestone in their swimming careers, earning selection to represent New Zealand at the 2026 World Junior Open Water Swimming Championships in Argentina this September.

 

The siblings secured their spots following outstanding performances at the recent New Zealand Open Swimming Championships held at the National Aquatic Centre. Jack, competing in the 17-18 age group, claimed a Silver medal in the 1500m Freestyle (4th overall across all age groups) and a Bronze medal in the 800m Freestyle.

Dom also found success on the national stage, earning an Open Bronze medal as part of the 4x200m Men's Freestyle relay team.

In Argentina, Jack will take on the 10km event in the 18-19 age group, while Dom will compete in the 5km event in the 14-15 age group.

Preparation is already underway, with the brothers focusing on high-mileage sessions and ocean training to acclimatise to open water conditions. Ahead of competition, the brothers shared their excitement about the journey ahead:

"Getting to represent New Zealand will be pretty awesome alongside my brother," says Dom, highlighting the rare opportunity to compete together on the international stage.

Congratulations again to Jack and Dom on this incredible achievement as they prepare to represent New Zealand.