Michael Ray Barrowman (born December 4, 1968) is an American former competition

swimmer Swimming is an individual or team racing sport that requires the use of one's entire body to move through water. The sport takes place in pools or open water (e.g., in a sea or lake). Competitive swimming is one of the most popular Olympic ...

, Olympic champion, and former world record-holder. Barrowman was one of the pioneers of the "wave-style"

breaststroke Breaststroke is a swimming style in which the swimmer is on their chest and the torso does not rotate. It is the most popular recreational style due to the swimmer's head being out of the water a large portion of the time, and that it can be s ...

technique. Prior to attending University of Michigan, he trained with Montgomery Square Copenhaver Swim Club and the Rockville-Montgomery Swim Club in Maryland. He placed fourth in the

1988 Summer Olympics The 1988 Summer Olympics (), officially known as the Games of the XXIV Olympiad () and commonly known as Seoul 1988 ( ko, 서울 1988, Seoul Cheon gubaek palsip-pal), was an international multi-sport event held from 17 September to 2 October ...

in the 200-meter breaststroke. He set a world record in the same event the following year at the USA Swimming Long Course National Championships with a time of 2:12.90. The following year at the

1990 Goodwill Games The 1990 Goodwill Games was the second edition of the international multi-sport event created by Ted Turner, which was held between July 20 and August 5, 1990. Following an inaugural edition in Moscow, the second games took place in Seattle, United ...

he recorded a time of 2:11.53 and beat two other swimmers who also bested the previous world mark.Past Goodwill Games – 1990 and Seattle
.

Goodwill Games The Goodwill Games were an international sports competition created by Ted Turner in reaction to the political troubles surrounding the Olympic Games of the 1980s. In 1979, the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan caused the United States and other ...

. Retrieved June 23, 2010. in 1991, he was named Champion of the World in the World Championships in Perth, Australia, winning the 200-meter breaststroke in world record time. At the

1992 Summer Olympics The 1992 Summer Olympics ( es, Juegos Olímpicos de Verano de 1992, ca, Jocs Olímpics d'estiu de 1992), officially known as the Games of the XXV Olympiad ( es, Juegos de la XXV Olimpiada, ca, Jocs de la XXV Olimpíada) and commonly known as ...

in Barcelona, he won the gold medal in the same event in world record time. He later temporarily retired from swimming and took up competitive flatwater kayaking, competing at the U.S. Olympic Festival in 1995. He is now a banker, and part-time masters swim coach in the

Cayman Islands The Cayman Islands () is a self-governing British Overseas Territory—the largest by population in the western Caribbean Sea. The territory comprises the three islands of Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac and Little Cayman, which are located to the ...

, but had previously owned a film studio which created an award-winning underwater television program for children, "Under the Waves". Barrowman was known for his high consumption of hamburgers and French fries during his taper period just prior to a major meet, while he would maintain a strict diet during training season. Barrowman attended the University of Michigan, and swam for the Michigan Wolverines swimming and diving team in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and Big Ten Conference competition.MGoBlue.com, Men's Swimming & Diving
Michigan Men's Swimming and Diving All-Time NCAA Champions
. Retrieved February 17, 2013. He was named the Big 10 Athlete of the Year (all sports) in 1991. Between 1989 and 1991, he won three consecutive NCAA national championships in the 200-yard breaststroke, and was named NCAA Swimmer of the Year in 1990.HickokSports.com, Sports History
NCAA Men's Swimming & Diving Champions
. Retrieved February 17, 2013. His NCAA record of 1:53.77 from 1990, would stand strong for eleven years, and was the oldest men's NCAA record in 2001, when it was broken by Brendan Hansen. Barrowman broke the world record in the 200-meter breaststroke six times, and held the world's record for over thirteen years; both achievements are world records in themselves. He was named World Swimmer of the Year in 1989 and 1990 by ''

Swimming World Magazine ''Swimming World'' is a US-based monthly swimming magazine that was first published in a magazine format as ''Junior Swimmer'' in January 1960. It concurrently runs online websites ''Swimming World Magazine'' and ''Swimming World News'', (known ...

'', and was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame in 1997.

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Barrowman, Mike 1968 births Living people American male breaststroke swimmers World record setters in swimming Michigan Wolverines men's swimmers Olympic gold medalists for the United States in swimming People from Costa Mesa, California Sportspeople from Asunción Sportspeople from Montgomery County, Maryland Swimmers at the 1987 Pan American Games Swimmers at the 1988 Summer Olympics Swimmers at the 1992 Summer Olympics World Aquatics Championships medalists in swimming Medalists at the 1992 Summer Olympics Pan American Games silver medalists for the United States Pan American Games medalists in swimming Big Ten Athlete of the Year winners Competitors at the 1990 Goodwill Games Medalists at the 1987 Pan American Games

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