Mountain View High School swimmer Griffin Barlow finds community, confidence, competitionSubscriber Exclusive

Teen born with dwarfism and adopted from China heads to state championships

By Meg Wochnick, Columbian staff writer

Published: January 25, 2022, 6:04am

4 Photos

Mountain View High School junior Griffin Barlow, shown here during a recent swim practice at Cascade Athletic Club, was born with achondroplasia, the most common form of dwarfism. At 4 feet tall, the swimming pool is where Barlow finds success and self-confidence. "You don't hear that a lot," he said. "I've got the confidence for my future, and not thinking about my past." (Elayna Yussen for The Columbian) Photo Gallery

A swimming pool is where Griffin Barlow finds solace in a big world.

Swimming for Mountain View High School also brings joy and confidence to the junior born with achondroplasia, the most common form of dwarfism.

In the pool, Barlow focuses on the task ahead and not on a past filled with pain.