Luca Urlando Wins Men’s Athlete Of The Year At Golden Goggles

2025 Golden Goggle Awards

• September 27, 2025
• Denver, Colorado
• SwimSwam Official Ballot
• Online Auction (Closes at 10 PM MST, Sept 27)

Luca Urlando has won the Men’s Athlete of the Year at the 2025 Golden Goggle awards. Other nominees included Jack Alexy, Shaine Casas, and Luke Hobson. Last year’s winner was Bobby Finke, who did represent the US at 2025 Worlds but was not nominated this year.

Urlando was the lone American male to win an individual title at the 2025 World Championships. Urlando won the men’s 200 butterfly in a 1:51.87. That swim also marked a lifetime best for Urlando, who has battled back from shoulder surgery. The 200 fly was his only event in Singapore.

Urlando’s time in Singapore keeps him as the 4th fastest performer in history but he dipped below the 1:52 second mark for the first time as his previous best time was a 1:52.37. He also saw a huge growth in his Instagram following during the 2025 World Championships with his following increasing by 20%.

With his win, Urlando was even up as an option to lead off the US men’s 4×100 medley relay as he broke the American Record in the SCY 100 backstroke at the 2022 NCAA Championships while competing for Georgia. He ultimately did not swim on that relay as he did a swim off with Tommy Janton in the warm up pool. Janton touched ahead of Urlando in the race.