Two Bozeman swimmers were named Montana’s Swimming Athletes of the Year, awarded to the fastest male and female athletes in the water.

Bozeman Barracudas Winston Sundeen and Julia Huffmaster received the achievement recognizing their hard work.

“You see the accolades, but you also don’t see often how hard these two are on themselves. They have really high standards for themselves,” Bozeman Barracudas head coach Hans Dersch said. “If you knew the journey these guys have been through, you would add more glitter to this award, because they are phenomenal.”

Overcrowded lanes at the Bozeman Swim Center are an obstacle daily. Receiving recognition for overcoming an obstacle is a great feeling.

“Obviously, everyday going to practice is a challenge, as well as the sets we are given,” Huffmaster said. “It makes it worth it in the end to have this award, because both of us have worked, and to see it pay off is really nice.”

The award itself is special but even better is sharing it with a teammate who is fighting the same battles.

“She is my training partner, so it is good to have her, and she is the one that really pushes me everyday, so without her I probably wouldn’t have this award,” Sundeen said.

Both Huffmaster and Sundeen plan on swimming at the collegiate level upon graduation next year.