By John Lohn
PHOENIX, Arizona, December 1. LET the celebration begin! Without further ado, here are your 2006 Swimming World Magazine World Swimmers of the Year. With a pair of incredible years, Leisel Jones (World/Pacific Rim Female) and Michael Phelps (World/American Male) earned our top honors.
Leisel Jones
There was a time when she was viewed as the girl who couldn't get the job done on the big stage. Facing bright lights and under pressure, Leisel Jones had a knack for coming up short. These days, though, she knows no peer in the breaststroke. Simply, the Australian sensation has taken her specialty to such heights that it doesn't seem she'll be pushed at any point in the near future.
Jones put together a campaign that could rank among the greatest in history. While generating several world records, Jones hacked huge chunks off the former standards both long course and short course.
Her efforts landed her Swimming World Magazine's Female World Swimmer of the Year accolades (as well as Pacific Rim). In retaining her title as the best in the world, Jones narrowly edged France's Laure Manaudou.
One year after ridding herself of the can't-win-the-big-one tag while securing gold in the 100 and 200 breast at the 2005 World Championships, Jones got the 2006 season off to a stellar start in February at the Commonwealth Games Trials, setting world records in the 100 and 200 meter breaststrokes (1:05.71 and 2:20.54).
A month later, at the Commonwealth Games, Jones blazed a mark of 1:05.09 in the 100. No athlete in history is within a second of Jones in that event, and her 200 time is nearly two seconds clear of the No. 2-ranked, all-time performer.
In August at the Australian Short Course Champs, Jones broke the world 100 breast record twice, eventually lowering it to 1:03.86 with the first sub-1:04 swim ever produced.
World Female Rankings
1. LEISEL JONES, Australia
2. Laure Manaudou, France
3. Jessicah Schipper, Australia
4. Britta Steffen, Germany
5. Lisbeth Lenton, Australia
Pacific Rim Female Rankings
1. LEISEL JONES, Australia
2. Jessicah Schipper, Australia
3. Lisbeth Lenton, Australia
4. Jade Edmistone, Australia
5. Reiko Nakamura, Japan
Michael Phelps
Following his final event at last year's World Championships in Montreal, Michael Phelps sat in front of a microphone and addressed reporters. Despite winning six medals, Phelps was deeply disappointed. He knew the reason why he couldn't match his exploits from the 2004 Olympics in Athens: he hadn't put in the same dedication to training.
With that knowledge as fuel, Phelps returned to his former game plan for 2006. Swimming came first, not sponsorship responsibilities. It wasn't a surprise, then, that his results were dazzling, particularly his efforts at the Pan Pacific Championships. It was in Victoria, B.C., that Phelps set a pair of individual world records and contributed to a world record-setting relay.
As was the case in 2003 and 2004, Phelps is Swimming World Magazine's Male World Swimmer of the Year (as well as American), having won the international vote by a slim margin over Brendan Hansen.
A few weeks after winning five titles at the U.S. Nationals, Phelps went on his record breaking tear at Pan Pacs. Aside from lowering his global standard in the 200 meter fly to 1:53.80, he popped a world record of 1:55.84 in the 200 IM while holding off Ryan Lochte in one of the best duels of the year. More, he handled the leadoff leg of the American 400 free relay, which went a WR 3:12.46.
For the year, Phelps ranked first in the world in the 200 free, 200 fly and 200 IM. Meanwhile, he was second in the 100 fly and 400 IM, fifth in the 200 back, seventh in the 100 free and eighth in the 100 back.
World Male Rankings
1. MICHAEL PHELPS, USA
2. Brendan Hansen, USA
3. Aaron Peirsol, USA
4. Laszlo Cseh, Hungary
5. Ryan Lochte, USA
American Male Rankings
1. MICHAEL PHELPS, USA
2. Brendan Hansen, USA
3. Aaron Peirsol, USA
4. Ryan Lochte, USA
5. Cullen Jones, USA
This year, we limited our panel of selectors to one representative from each of 11 geographical regions as well as selected members of the magazine: Asia: Hideki Mochizuki, writer for Japanese Swimming Magazine and Swimming World Magazine's Japanese correspondent. Australia: Stephen J. Thomas, Swimming World Magazine's chief Australian correspondent. Central Europe: Camillo Cametti, editor of Nuoto. Eastern Europe: Norbert Agh, Swimming World Magazine's European correspondent from Hungary. Middle East: Buky Chass, swimming commentator for Israeli TV and former national technical director. North Africa: Chaker Belhadj, swimming writer for La Poste. North America: Phillip Whitten, executive director of the College Swimming Coaches Association of America. Northern Europe: Oene Rusticus, Swimming World Magazine's European correspondent from The Netherlands. South Africa: Neville Smith, Swimming South Africa. South America: Jorge Aguado, Swimming World Magazine's South American correspondent from Argentina. United Kingdom: James Hickman, swimming commentator for the BBC. Swimming World Magazine: Bob Ingram, senior editor; Judy Jacob, photo coordinator; John Lohn, senior writer, and managing editor Jason Marsteller.
We thank the panel for generously donating its valuable time and expertise.
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