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2016 MALE EUROPEAN SWIMMER OF THE YEAR: ADAM PEATY
Adam Peaty (Photo: Peter Sukeník)
The 2016 Rio Olympics saw Great Britain’s Adam Peaty become the first British male swimmer to win Olympic gold in 28 years. In the 100 breast final in Rio, his challenge was to outswim 2012 Olympic champion Cameron van der Burgh. Peaty accomplished that by a margin of 1.5 seconds, taking a huge victory while shattering his own former World Record. The record now stands at a blazing 57.13.
On the final day of Olympic competition, Peaty lined up to swim the breaststroke leg of Great Britain’s 4×100 medley relay, looking to help his team upset the Americans for gold. Through the backstroke portion of the relay, Chris Walker-Hebborn had the team sitting in 6th, but Peaty quickly put them into the lead with an eye-opening 56.69 breast split. Great Britain wound up taking the silver, but Peaty’s breaststroke split was a full 2 seconds faster than any other breast split in the field. It was also the fastest 100 breast split of all time.
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
In no particular order
Gregorio Paltrinieri and Gabriele Detti (Photo: Simone Castrovillari)
- Gregorio Paltrinieri, Italy: Paltrinieri ran away with the men’s 1500 free at the Rio Olympics, raking the lead at the 200 meter mark and never looking back. He finished with a time of 14:34.57, putting himself 5 seconds ahead of silver medalist Connor Jaeger (USA). Paltrinieri recently competed in the mile in the short course pool, taking 2nd only to Park Tae Hwan (KOR) at the 2016 Short Course World Championships.
- Laszlo Cseh, Hungary: Cseh, an international veteran on the Hungarian national team, competed in his 4th Olympic Games this summer. He missed the podium in the 200 fly, but then redeemed himself with a medal in the 100 fly. Cseh was a part of the infamous three-way tie for 2nd with long-time rivals Michael Phelps (USA) and Chad Le Clos (RSA).
- Gabriele Detti, Italy: Detti bounced back in 2016 after facing some health problems that kept him from competing in the 2015 World Championships. In the leadup to Rio, he set a new Championship Record in the 400 free at the European Games and qualified to compete in the 400 free and 1500 free in Rio with his performances at Italian nationals. At the Games, he was a 2-time Olympic medalist, winning bronze in both of his events.
There were three records in swimming in Rio Games that will be recognised among most outstanding records ever. They are (listed alphabetically) Anthony Ervin’s gold repeat 16 years later at 50 free at age of 35, Katie Ledecky’s 800 free and Adam Peaty’s 100 breast.
Well done, fantastic achievement.
No Vlad for honorable mention?
Vlad who didn’t make a single Individual Olympic final? I’d call Pieter Timmers as an honourable mention over Vlad – Olympic 100FR silver taking 1/2 a second off the Belgian record and ruining the Aus/US/Fra party. He also has the stroke of a 200/400 freestyler – How he went 47.8 with that low a tempo is beyond me. It’s really the most beautifully effortless sprint technique in swimming.
Dee pretty much nailed it. If Vlad had even had a sniff of an Olympic medal, he probably would’ve had a chance at consideration here after becoming the first Russian to win the World Cup. But, without even an Olympic FINAL, we couldn’t justify him against the rest.
I think it was irony from Uberfan. I hope so.
Tiimmers was fantastic to watch in those 100 free races ……