2020 Swammy Awards: Matt Wilson Earns Male Oceania Swimmer Of The Year

To see all of our 2020 Swammy Awards, click here.

2020 OCEANIA MALE SWIMMER OF THE YEAR: MATT WILSON

For the second consecutive year, Matt Wilson has earned the Swammy Award for the Oceania Male Swimmer of the Year.

Last year Australia’s Wilson emerged into the spotlight when he broke countryman Christian Sprenger‘s super-suit era 200 breast Oceanian/Australian record with a 2:07.16 at the Australian National Championships in April. He would go on to win silver at the 2019 World Championships.

For 2020, however, it was the short course arena in which Wilson made his magic happen, with the 22-year-old SOPAC swimmer once again replacing a Sprenger record.

While competing at the multi-location virtual Australian Championships this November, Wilson hit a monster personal best of 56.89 in the 100m breast. The time marked his first effort under the 57-second threshold; in fact, it represented the first time any Australian man had been under 57 seconds. His performance also became the Oceanic Record in the SCM 100m breast event.

Putting Wilson’s 56.89 in perspective in the all-time frame, the Aussie now sits just outside the top 25 male 100m breaststrokers ever worldwide.

HONORABLE MENTIONS

In no particular order.

• Matthew Temple – Aussie Temple has been making steady improvements in the men’s 100m fly on both the long course and short course format front. Most recently, the 21-year-old Nunawading swimmer busted out a lifetime best of 49.32 in the SCM 100m fly to take gold at the virtual Aussie National Championships. His 49.32 100m fly rendered Temple as Australia’s 2nd fastest performer all-time, falling only .01 shy of David Morgan‘s 49.31 national record produced at the 2016 FINA World Short Course Championships.
• Elijah Winnington – Winnington put up two SCM 3:37-400 freestyle outings this fall, first hitting a time of 3:37.45 in September, then following up with a 3:37.71 from November’s virtual Aussie National Championships. The St. Peters Wester standout also did his thing long course in the 4free event, clocking a speedy 3:43.90 at this month’s Queensland Championships. Winnington had never before been under 3:44 in this LCM event, owning a previous career-quickest time of 3:44.68 from last year. His new PB made him Australia’s 6th fastest performer all-time.

PAST WINNERS

• 2020 Swammy – Matt Wilson, Australia
• 2019 Swammy – Matt Wilson, Australia
• 2018 Swammy — Kyle Chalmers, Australia
• 2017 Swammy — Mack Horton, Australia
• 2016 Swammy — Kyle Chalmers, Australia
• 2015 Swammy — Mitch Larkin, Australia
• 2014 Swammy — Thomas Fraser-Holmes, Australia
• 2013 Swammy — Christian Sprenger, Australia