Kentucky vs. Tennessee: Farnham Brothers Face Each Other Final Time

Barbara Farnham's alternate screams of "Go, Daniel!" and "Go, Adam!" at tomorrow's swim meet against the University of Tennessee are certain to echo in the ears of nearby fans.

Farnham is the mother of the All-American UK senior Daniel Farnham and UT sophomore Adam Farnham - two brothers, two rival swim teams.

Farnham explained that her sons chose different schools so they could stand out as individuals.

Barbara and her husband Tim don't play favorites.

"Mom and Dad, they split their love down the middle," Daniel Farnham said.

Daniel Farnham began swimming in summer and year-round leagues at age 7 in Rome, Ga. Two years later, Adam Farnham turned 7 and started swimming competitively as well. They soon found themselves facing off in the same races.

"I've trained with him my whole life," Daniel Farnham said. "(I) grew up swimming against him."

Tomorrow's meet will be no different for the brothers.

"It's not weird," Daniel Farnham said.

Adam Farnham said he's looking forward to the match.

"(It's) a good chance to compete," he said.

Barbara Farnham echoes the casual manner in which her sons approach the so-called rivalry.

"They (have) always been their best competitors," she said.

The two brothers even deny any hints of sibling rivalry.

"Growing up, we didn't trash-talk (each other)," Daniel Farnham said, adding that kind of attitude was a "healthy situation to grow up in."

"Most boys in sports have been competitive," Barbara Farnham said, "but they encourage each other."

Each has always been the other's support system. A rigorous practice schedule, in which a 16-year-old Daniel Farnham and 14-year-old Adam Farnham made the hour's drive to swim practice in Atlanta five days a week, helped the two grow closer.

"They help each other to do their best," Barbara Farnham said.

During last year's UK-UT meet, Tennessee won by three points, though Daniel Farnham placed first in the 50-yard and 100-yard freestyle events.

It was a sad game for Barbara, who said she would've liked to see UK win against Tennessee, which has a historically solid swim team.

For Daniel Farnham, it was a tough loss.

"(It was) very heart-breaking," he said. "Hard to take."

Still, he puts last year's competition in perspective.

"(We had) two equally matched teams," he said. "One was just slightly better."

After the meet, Adam Farnham didn't gloat to his brother about UT's win.

"(I) didn't say anything when we won last year - didn't need to," he said.

Tomorrow, Barbara Farnham will be rooting for both her boys during their last college competition.

"I will be behind them all the time," she said, "(and) I'll miss them swimming against each other."