Delaney Barbee and Madelyn Hamblin may have not found their way to swimming if it were not for incidents away from the pool.

Barbee, a senior at Boulder Creek, broke her arm competing in gymnastics, while Hamblin, a senior at Dobson, started focusing on swimming after her older brother, Carson, sustained an eye injury while playing with a toy helicopter that forced him to drop other sports.

It was good decisions for both as they prepare for the Arizona state swimming championships and come into the meet holding the top times in their individual events.

The swimming event takes place Friday and Saturday at Skyline for Division I and Division II. Phoenix Country Day (PCD) hosts swimming and diving on Friday and Saturday for Division III. Diving for DI is Wednesday at PCD with DII diving on Thursday also at PCD.

The defending champions are Desert Vista (DI), Desert Mountain (DII) and Phoenix Country Day (DIII).

For Barbee swimming came after time on the mat.

“I was OK in gymnastics, made it to Level 2, but after I broke my arm my mom was like we should probably find something else,” Barbee said. “She swam her freshman year in high school, so we started out there with rec swim before going a club. It’s been a really good decision.”

That’s an understatement.

Barbee is the state record holder in the 50 freestyle, setting it as a sophomore with a time of 22:74.

She’s been chasing it since and enters the Division I meet with the best time at 23:05, while also leading the 100 free at 51:05.

A change in club teams before her junior season created a higher volume of time in the pool. It took her body a minute to adjust and her times slowed. All has leveled out since and her times are getting back to where she was, and it puts in her place to make a run at a state record again.

“She was adjusting to the new training schedule, but she still medaled in her events and relays,” Boulder Creek coach Scott Newell said. “Delaney has had an amazing four years swimming at Boulder Creek and will finish as the best swimmer in school history.”

Barbee, who is also second in the 200 free with a time of 1:52.23, is ready to finish off that career with one great push before heading to University of Arizona to continue her career.

She is ready for a fast start in the events and doesn’t need to see the competitors in the lanes next to her for that extra push.

“I am very self-motivated,” Barbee said. “It’s a nice push to have someone next to you, but I am trying to beat my times and do what I have to do compete at my best.”

Hamblin enters with the best time in Division I in the backstroke at 56.79, and a top 10 mark in three other events.

She started with the Dobson Dolphins with her brother at an early age but started focusing on swimming after Carson sustained an injury when a broken piece of the rotor blade on a toy helicopter struck him in the eye.

“We all played other sports but after he started focusing on swimming, I did too,” said Hamblin, who played soccer and softball. “It’s something I was good at an early age and wanted to stick with it.”

Hamblin is ready to stand on that elevated platform and compete to the best of her ability for one last meet.

“When you are competing against the best you have to be at your best,” she said. “I always look at the how the swimmer in my lane in the race did before me and it kind of sets the tone. If they do well then I feel like I will, too. It’s just one of superstition things, but I am ready to finish strong no matter what.”

TOP TIMES

Girls

Division I

50 free individual: Delaney Barbee, Boulder Creek, :23.05.

100 fly: Ainsley Boerckel, Xavier, :55.89.

100 breaststroke: Harper Flynn, Gilbert, 1:03.97.

100 free individual: Delaney Barbee, Boulder Creek, :51.05.

100 backstroke individual: Madelyn Hamblin, Dobson, :56.79.

200 free individual: Reagan Uhlik, Basha, 1:52.23.

200 medley individual: Reagan Uhlik, Basha, 2:04.31.

200 medley relay: Xavier 1:48.88.

200 free relay: Desert Vista 1:38.52.

400 free relay: Arizona College Prep, 3:37.92.

500 free individual: Alexa Largent, Desert Vista, 5:00.53.

Division II

50 free individual: Yana Stozkovs, McClintock, :23.36.

100 fly: Vivienna Sterling, Campo Verde, :57.50.

100 breaststroke: Yana Stozkovs, McClintock, 1:04.25.

100 free individual: Yana Stozkovs, McClintock, :50.85.

100 backstroke individual: Naomi Weibel, Canyon del Oro, :57.33.

200 free individual: Leila Stafford, Catalina Foothills, 1:51.19.

200 medley individual: Yana Stozkovs, McClintock, 2:04.44.

200 medley relay: Desert Mountain, 1:48.07.

200 free relay: Desert Mountain, 1:39.08.

400 free relay: Desert Mountain, 3:37.71.

500 free individual: Leila Stafford, Catalina Foothills, 4:59.69.

Division III

50 free individual: Ryan Webb, Yuma Catholic, :24.23.

100 fly: Reagan Edquid, Pusch Ridge, :55.74.

100 breaststroke: Reagan Edquid, 1:05.16.

100 free individual: Reagan Edquid, Push Ridge, :51.66.

100 backstroke individual: Ameira McCullough, Red Rock, :57.90.

200 free individual: Reagan Edquid, Push Ridge, 1:52.44.

200 medley individual: Reagan Edquid, Push Ridge, 2:07.44.

200 medley relay: ALA Gilbert North, 1:54.28.

200 free relay: Yuma Catholic 1:45.13.

400 free relay: ALA Gilbert North, 3:47.83.

500 free individual: Cecilia Quihulz, ALA Gilbert North, 5:11.12.