2019 Swammy Awards: African Male Swimmer of the Year Zane Waddell

To see all of our 2019 Swammy Award winners, click here.

2019 African Male Swimmer of the Year: Zane Waddell, South Africa

Zane Waddell (photo: Jack Spitser)

Your 2019 African Male Swimmer of the Year, South African Zane Waddell, had a breakout year in 2019. The 21-year-old progressed quickly from SEC Champion, to NCAA Champion, to World University Games champion, all the way to World champion in just 5 months.

At the 2019 SEC Championships, Waddell contributed to Alabama’s title-winning 200 medley relay, thanks to his #2 all-time 50 back lead-off split (20.22). He also won an individual title in the 100 back (44.77). Just a month later, Waddell joined teammates Laurent Bams, Knox Auerbach, and Robert Howard to win the 200 medley relay NCAA title (1:22.26).

After the NCAA season, Waddell switched to representing his home country of South Africa at both the 2019 World University Games (WUGs) and 2019 World Championships. During his WUGs run, Waddell and American Justin Ress had a buzzworthy battle in the 50 back, both trading off holding the Universiade meet record. During the 50 back final, Waddell and Ress tied for the gold medal.

Yet Waddell’s biggest moment of 2019 was at the World Championships in Gwangju, South Korea. During the 50 back final, Waddell surprised the entire world when he became a World champion out of lane 2 and upset Russians Evgeny Rylov and Kliment Kolesnikov.

With the win, Waddell becomes the only swimmer besides Chad le Clos to win the award in its 7-year history.

Honorable Mentions

in no particular order

• Chad le Clos, South Africa — The Olympic champion was a superstar in the International Swim League, earning the MVP honors of the European derby while captaining Energy Standard to the first-ever ISL trophy. At the 2019 World Championships, le Clos also earned double bronze in the 100 fly and 200 fly events.
• Michael Houlie, South Africa — After becoming the 2018 Youth Olympics champion in the 50 breast, Houlie became the first WUGs swimmer in history to break 27 seconds in the 50 breast. In the final, Houlie would pick up silver behind Russian Kirill Prigoda. At the 2019 South Africa Sports Awards, Houlie’s accomplishments during the 2018-19 season earned him Newcomer of the Year.

All 2019 Men’s African Records

• Mixed 400 Free Relay: Erasmus, Coetzee, Chelius, Gallagher (RSA), 3:31.24
• Mixed 400 Medley Relay: Reid, Schoenmaker, Coetzee, Gallagher (RSA), 3:49.90

Past Winner(s)

• 2019 Swammy – Zane Waddell, South Africa
• 2018 Swammy — Chad le Clos, South Africa
• 2017 Swammy — Chad le Clos, South Africa
• 2016 Swammy — Chad le Clos, South Africa
• 2015 Swammy — Chad le Clos, South Africa
• 2014 Swammy — Chad le Clos, South Africa
• 2013 Swammy — Chad le Clos, South Africa