Olympic gold medalist and World Record holder Missy Franklin was voted as the USA Swimming Swimmer of the Year on Saturday at the United States Aquatics Sports Convention. The award was voted on by the members of the House of Delegates.
This honor puts Franklin among the who’s who in swimming history, including last year’s winner Ryan Lochte. Back to Mary T. Meagher’s inaugural win in 1981, the list of honorees is a list of the most incredible swimmers in the history of the United States.
Franklin’s 2011-2012 season included World Records in both the short course meters and long course meters 200 backstroke. That short course 200 back mark made her the first woman to break a World Record after the tech-suit fueled era of 2008 and 2009.
In Omaha at the Olympic Trials in June, she qualified to swim seven events on the Olympic Team: more than any other American woman had ever attempted. She made good on her big schedule, taking 4 golds and a bronze.
Among other major award winners this week in Greensboro:
- David Boudia – USA Diving Athlete of the Year
- Katie Ledecky – Phillips 66 Performance of the Year (800 free gold medal)
- Jessica Long – Tricia L. Zorn Disability Swimmer
- Alex Meyer – Fran Crippen Memorial Male Open Water Swimmer of the Year
- Haley Anderson – Female Open Water Swimmer of the Year
- Michael Phelps – Athletes’ Appreciation Award
- Wells O’Brien – USA Swimming Award (Exceptional contribution to swimming)
- Paul Asmuth/Tim Murphy – Glen S. Humer Award (commitment to grow/develop open water swimming)
- Geoff Brown (NOVA of Virginia) – Developmental Coach of the Year (placing most swimmers on Jr. National Team)
- Dave Denniston – Jimi L. Flowers Coach of the Year
- Suzanne Heath – Kenneth J. Petigrew Award (volunteer official)
- Hossea Holder (Pittsburgh Stingrays) – Diversity Inclusion Award
- Marie Wise – 2012 Disability Service Award
- Starre Henry (Arizona LSC) – Adolph Kiefer Safety Commendation Award
totally deserved ! 4 golds in London + 2 world records ; fantastic races . One of the only swimmers to smile all the time in the real sense of having fun at top level . Congrats Missy
That must have been a tough decision……..
Who was the last female to win the award? Janet Evans?
Natalie Coughlin is swimmer of the year in 2002. I think she’s the last girl with this title. But now with Missy Franklin and Katie Ledecky the future belongs to the girls.
Congrats to Missy! She deserves this title. The only thing I can’t understand with her is that she’s a Justin Bieber fan. No I can’t understand that!
Next year this title will probably go to Katie Ledecky with her fantastic triple on freestyle in Barcelona with 3 world records. 3.59 in the 400 free, 8.12 in the 800 free and 15.35 in the 1500 free. And she will also win the 4X200 free relay with a leg in 1.55. Ok perhaps I’m too optimistic but it’s absolutely possible.