USA Swimming Junior National Team Member Reece Whitley has been selected as Sports Illustrated’s Sportskid Of The Year 2015 after winning two silver medals at the 2015 FINA Jr World Championships. Whitley was one of five young athletes nominated for Sports Illustrated Kids’ ‘SportsKid of the Year 2015’.
The 15 year old towers above his competition at 6’8” and is climbing the national ranking in both the 100 and 200 breaststroke. He is currently the second fastest 15-16 year old 100m breaststroker in history at 1:01.00 and the fastest 200m breaststroker in history at 2:11.30. Whitley will be competing for a spot on the US Olympic swim team this summer in both events.
Little league baseball pitcher Mo’ne Davis was Sports Illustrated’s Sportskid Of The Year in 2014. The 13 year old pitcher made international headlines with her 70mph fast ball. Davis made history last summer as the first girl to pitch a shut out in the 75 year history of the Little League World Series. The other athletes nominated for the 2015 Sportskid Of The Year award included a rock climber, speedskater, track & field athlete and taekwondo specialist. Sports Illustrated accepted votes for the Sportskid Of The Year until October 13th.
Over the summer at the US National Championships, Whitley powered his way to a B-Final win of the men’s 200m breaststroke in a time of 2:11.30 , a new boys’ 15-16 National Age Group Record for the Penn Charter Aquatic Club phenom. His performance at that meet earned himself a spot on Team USA’s Jr World Championship team, where he won two silver medals. His time of 1:01.00 captured the runner-up prize in the men’s individual 100m breaststroke, while his 1:00.82 split earned him another silver as part of the men’s 400m medley relay.
Whitley also holds the 13-14 National Age Group Records in the 100m and 200m breaststrokes.
This morning, Whitley also received a shout-out via social media from the First Lady of the United States, Michelle Obama, and he made an appearance on Good Morning America.
Congrats @_reecewhitley on becoming @SIKids #SportsKid of the Year. We are so proud of you! https://t.co/6QMvobCzP7 pic.twitter.com/Cffoih2PhJ
— The First Lady (@FLOTUS) November 30, 2015
I am sooooo proud of your accomplishment in swimming.
awesome on so many levels.
Article about his coach Crystal Coleman
http://www.usaswimming.org/ViewNewsArticle.aspx?TabId=0&itemid=12268&mid=14491
Reece Whitley’s interview on the USA swimming website
http://www.usaswimming.org/ViewNewsArticle.aspx?TabId=0&itemid=12267&mid=14491
Huge RW fan as well. Bobo – I am not surprised at all he won the award. The gender equality in sports has improved greatly in the US in recent decades, but still significantly more boys participate in organized sports than girls, although, ironically, there are probably more girls in age group swimming than boys. To sell more magazines, SI’s marketing efforts need to be on its largest target readership group. Congrats to RW!
I’m a big Reece Whitley fan. Congrats. The best is yet to come for him.
But objectively, I don’t understand how they can’t give that award to 16-year-old American athlete Candace Hill who broke both 100m/200m world youth records (10.98/22.43) and won both 100m/200m gold medals at last world youth championships.
Well, that is true, but an African American swimmer with his talent is almost unheard of.
I agree with both Bobo and Newtoswimswam. Hill’s performances were superior, and race/ethnicity/gender should be irrelevant for this kind of award, even if it’s true black girls excel more at elite levels of track and field than do black boys in swimming. But Whitley won more because of the SI readership demographic, obviously heavily male.
Bobo, I agree with you.
I am also a huge fan of Reece, I have followed him since he was 10 yo. I already predicted back then he was going to be a superstar! When did you start following him, Bobo?
And I also think he will sweep the breast events in 2017 worlds and 2020 Olympics.
1) Its SI sportskid, not a golden goggle, be happy there was a swimmer on the list, the win is good marketing for swimming
2) The award is for 7-15 year old kids
3) Did you nominate Candace Hill? Somebody has to nominate you for the award.
4) 33.333% for each of School, community service, and athletics, being fast alone doesn’t get the title
5)Again, its SI sportskid, its cool and all but in the grand scheme of things…..
Who?
here i got you… just click the link
http://lmgtfy.com/?q=reece+whitley
So proud to have Reece representing our country and our sport!
Amen!