2023 SOUTH AMERICAN MALE SWIMMER OF THE YEAR: GUILHERME COSTA, BRAZIL
For the 11th-straight year, a man from Brazil claims the Swammy for the South American Male Swimmer of the Year. The 2023 Swammy recipient: Guilherme Costa. Costa had a strong showing throughout 2023 and ultimately emerged as the top South American male swimmer due to his high placings in top-tier international competitions.
Though not a single South American man medaled in pool swimming at the 2023 FINA World Aquatics Championships, Costa came closest with a fourth-place finish in the 400 freestyle, hitting the wall in 3:43.58, just 0.27 shy of his South American Record from 2022. Costa also finished seventh in the 800 freestyle in 7:47.26, less than two seconds shy of his own South American Record, also set in 2022.
Costa won gold in the 400, 800, and 1500 meter freestyles at the 2023 Pan American Games, notching new Games Records in the 400 (3.46.79) and the 800 (7:53.01). Costa also provided a 1:46.51 split on Brazil’s champion 4 x 200 freestyle relay, propelling Brazil to another Games Record.
Costa finished 2023 with four victories at the 2023 Jose Finkel Championships, qualifying to swim the 200 freestyle at the 2024 World Championships in Doha, beating out Tokyo 2020 bronze medalist Fernando Scheffer in the process. Though Costa was victorious in the 400, 800, and 1500 freestyles at Jose Finkel, the 200 free is the only event he qualified to swim in Doha.
HONORABLE MENTION
- Gui Caribe, Brazil: 20-year-old Gui Caribe made a case for himself as the future of Brazilian sprint freestyle in 2023. In NCAA competition, Caribe proved a vital asset to the University of Tennessee, scoring 20 individual points at the 2023 NCAA Championships and contributing to four top-8 relay finishes for the Volunteers. In the Olympic pool, Caribe placed 12th in the 100 freestyle and at the 2023 FINA World Championships and contributed a blistering 46.76 split on the men’s 400 freestyle relay–second only behind Kyle Chalmers’ 46.56–which placed fifth. Caribe won gold at the 2023 Pan American Games in 48.06, and also helped Brazil to two gold medals in the men’s 400 freestyle relay and the mixed 400 freestyle relay, as well as a silver medal in the men’s 400 medley relay which he anchored in a blazing 46.94. Caribe wrapped up 2023 with a brisk 22.11 in the 50 free and a 48.51 to win the 100 free at the Brazilian Senior Champs, winning both races handily. Caribe flexed some versatility by placing second in the 100 fly in 53.91 in the same competition.
- Joao Gomes Junior, Brazil: 37-year-old Gomes furthered the case for Brazilian longevity in sprinting in 2023, placing seventh in the 50 breaststroke at the 2023 FINA World Championships. Gomes flirted with the minute barrier in the 100 breaststroke, clocking a 1:00.04 in the semifinals to finish 15th. In October, Gomes placed 5th in the 100 breaststroke at the 2023 Pan American Games and also helped Brazil to a silver medal in the men’s 400 medley relay, as well as a bronze in the mixed 400 medley relay. Gomes ended 2023 with a victory in the 50 breaststroke (27.05) and a runner-up finish in the 100 breaststrokes (1:01.28) at the Jose Finkel Trophy in Sao Paolo, though he will not represent Brazil at the 2024 World Championships in Doha.
- Alfonso Mestre, Venezuela: Mestre produced three Venezuelan National Records at the 2023 FINA World Championships in the 400, 800, and 1500 freestyles, each record coming in the prelims. In October at the Pan American Games, Mestre picked up two silver medals in the 400 and 800 freestyles, each time finishing behind Costa, as well as a bronze medal in the 1500 freestyle.
PREVIOUS WINNERS:
- 2022 Swammy: Nicholas Santos, Brazil
- 2021 Swammy: Bruno Fratus, Brazil
- 2020 Swammy: Nicholas Santos, Brazil
- 2019 Swammy: Bruno Fratus, Brazil
- 2018 Swammy: Nicholas Santos, Brazil
- 2017 Swammy: Bruno Fratus, Brazil
- 2016 Swammy: Felipe Franca Silva, Brazil
- 2015 Swammy: Thiago Pereira, Brazil
- 2014 Swammy: Felipe Franca Silva, Brazil
- 2013 Swammy: Cesar Cielo, Brazil
Alfonso got snubbed