See all of our 2024 Swammy Awards Here
2024 was the year where South America flexed its muscles in the middle distance freestyle harder than ever. On the men’s side, the leader of this charge was Guilherme Costa, who is our 2024 Male South American Swimmer of the Year.
On the women’s side, 22-year-old Brazilian Maria Fernanda Costa was the #1 force, making strides in a wide range of freestyle events.
Costa started out her year at the Long Course World Championships in Doha. She nabbed South American records in the 400 freestyle (4:02.86) by nearly three seconds as well as the 200 freestyle and 800 freestyle relay. In the 400, she and teammate Gabrielle Roncatto were the first Brazilians to ever finish in the event at a World Championships.
At the 2024 Olympic Games, Costa continued to break barriers. She qualified for the 400 free final, making her the first Brazilian in 76 years to do so, ultimately placing 7th. She also lowered her own 200 free continent record to 1:56.06, bringing down over a second in total throughout the year.
The Carioca’s achievements in her core events were impressive enough on their own, but she also showcased her range in the sprint and distance events. She raced to a new national record in the 800 freestyle at Brazil’s Olympic trials, going 8:28.92. On the sprint end, she split 55.46 on Brazil’s 4×100 freestyle relay to help the country reach an all-time world championships high of 6th place in the event.
Costa enters the next quad as Brazil’s biggest name in generations for women’s middle distance.
Honorable Mentions
Ana Marcela Cunha, Brazil – Cunha , who is South America’s best open water swimmer ever, had another impressive year. The 32-year-old from Bahia kicked off her Olympic year by racing to bronze in the 5k at the World Championships in Doha. At the 10k in Paris, an event where she was the defending gold medalist, Marcela touched in 4th. Additionally, she was the women’s champion of the Fina Open Water World Cup series.
Previous Winners
- 2023 Swammy – Macarena Cabellos, Argentina
- 2022 Swammy – Jhennifer Conceicao, Brazil
- 2021 Swammy – Viviane Jungblut, Brazil
- 2020 Swammy – Julia Sebastian, Argentina
- 2019 Swammy – Delfina Pignatiello, Argentina
- 2018 Swammy — Julia Sebastian, Argentina
- 2017 Swammy — Etiene Medeiros, Brazil
- 2016 Swammy — Etiene Medeiros, Brazil
- 2015 Swammy — Ana Marcela Cunha, Brazil
- 2014 Swammy — Etiene Medeiros, Brazil
- 2013 Swammy — Poliana Okimoto, Brazil
