The Golden Goggle Awards Finalists for Sunday Night’s Festivities in Los Angeles
Following a string of standout performances this summer at the World Aquatics Championships – Fukuoka 2023, USA Swimming is proud to honor this year’s best at the 20th Annual Golden Goggle Awards set for Sunday, November 19 at the J.W. Marriott at L.A. – LIVE in Los Angeles.
Open water 10k bronze medalist Katie Grimes (Las Vegas, Nev./Sandpipers of Nevada) leads the group with four individual nominations following her standout performance and 2024 U.S. Olympic Team nomination at the 2023 World Aquatics Open Water Championships in Fukuoka, Japan.
The Golden Goggle Awards nominations are based on the year’s top accomplishments by American swimmers, focusing primarily on the World Aquatics Championships – Fukuoka 2023. The U.S. team finished the pool meet with 38 medals (7g, 20s, 11b) – 13 more than any other competing federation and earning Team of the Meet distinction.
The United States’ top swimmers and coaches are nominated in eight categories. The complete list of 2023 Golden Goggle Awards nominees by category is listed below.
Proceeds from the Golden Goggle Awards benefit the USA Swimming Foundation, whose mission is to Save Lives, Build Champions, and Impact Communities. In addition to providing learn-to-swim grants and community impact grants to programs across the country, the USA Swimming Foundation supports the U.S. National Team and its development efforts aimed at strengthening the future of USA Swimming’s programs and services.
2023 Golden Goggle Award Nominees
Breakout Performer
This award is given to the athlete whose performance(s) stand out in relation to other years, with special emphasis on the 2023 World Aquatics Championships.
Thomas Heilman
Jack Alexy
Dare Rose
Katie Grimes
Coach of the Year
This award is given to the coach whose athlete(s) performed at the highest level throughout the year, with special emphasis on the 2023 World Aquatics Championships.
Todd DeSorbo
Anthony Nesty
Dave Durden
Ron Aitken
Bob Bowman
Relay Performance of the Year
This award is given to the best team relay performance, male or female. The performance considered must be a finals performance, with special emphasis on the 2023 World Aquatics Championships.
4x100m women’s medley
4x100m men’s medley
4x200m women’s free
Female Race of the Year
This award is given to the female swimmer with the greatest single individual race of the year, with special emphasis on the 2023 World Aquatics Championships.
Kate Douglass, 200m IM
Katie Ledecky, 1500m free
Katie Grimes, 10k
Male Race of the Year
This award is given to the male swimmer with the greatest single individual race of the year, with special emphasis on the 2023 World Aquatics Championships.
Bobby Finke, 1500m free
Jack Alexy, 100m free
Ryan Murphy, 100m back
Female Athlete of the Year
This award is given to the top female swimmer of the year with special emphasis on achievements at the 2023 World Aquatics Championships.
Katie Ledecky
Kate Douglass
Regan Smith
Katie Grimes
Male Athlete of the Year
This award is given to the top male swimmer of the year with special emphasis on achievements at the 2023 World Aquatics Championships.
Ryan Murphy
Bobby Finke
Jack Alexy
Carson Foster
Perseverance Award
This Golden Goggle award is given to the athlete who came back from adversity, retirement, sickness, injury, etc., to have an outstanding performance(s) in 2023, with special emphasis on the 2023 World Aquatics Championships.
Lydia Jacoby
Ashley (Twichell) Wall
Fran Crippen Open Water Swimmer of the Year
This Golden Goggle award is given to the athlete who had the most outstanding year as an open water swimmer, with an emphasis on the 2023 World Aquatics Championships.
Katie Grimes
Mariah Denigan
— The above press release was posted by Swimming World in conjunction with USA Swimming. For press releases and advertising inquiries please contact Advertising@SwimmingWorld.com.
They got dunked by the Aussie swimmer’s