PHOENIX, Arizona, December 1. THIS year, Swimming World names our 46th and 48th Female and Male World Swimmers of the Year. This institution dates back to 1964 when Don Schollander was named the World Swimmer of the Year.
For just the third time since we have been awarding dual annual awards to the best in the world, both winners have defended their titles from the previous year as USA's Ryan Lochte and Rebecca Soni are the 2011 World Swimmers of the Year. The only previous times this has happened were in 1971-72 with Australia's Shane Gould and USA's Mark Spitz, and in 1989-90 with USA's Janet Evans and Mike Barrowman.
We will have a further breakdown of the voting in tomorrow's reprint of Voice for the Sport, which also runs in the December issue of Swimming World Magazine.
In the December issue, Swimming World features the longest-running and most prestigious award in the sport of swimming. Beginning in 1964 with Don Schollander being named the World Swimmer of the Year, and continuing with the addition of various Regional Swimmers of the Year in 1980, the award system honors the best of the best from each year's feats in the sport.
Here is how the Top 5 rankings worked out in the World region. We have included first-place votes for the first time as part of our voting structure:
FEMALE
1. Rebecca Soni, USA (8)
2. Federica Pellegrini, ITA (4)
3. Missy Franklin, USA (7)
4. Rebecca Adlington, GBR
5. Ye Shiwen, CHN
(Parenthesis indicates first-place votes)
MALE
1. Ryan Lochte, USA (18)
2. Sun Yang, CHN (1)
3. Michael Phelps, USA
4. James Magnussen, AUS
5. Alexander Dale Oen, NOR
(Parenthesis indicates first-place votes)
Here is how the Top 5 rankings worked out in the American region. We have included first-place votes for the first time as part of our voting structure:
FEMALE
1. Rebecca Soni, USA (11)
2. Missy Franklin, USA (8)
3. Elizabeth Beisel, USA
4. Dana Vollmer, USA
5. Jessica Hardy, USA
(Parenthesis indicates first-place votes)
MALE
1. Ryan Lochte, USA (19)
2. Michael Phelps, USA
3. Cesar Cielo, BRA
4. Ryan Cochrane, CAN
5. Tyler Clary, USA
(Parenthesis indicates first-place votes)
Previous World Swimmers of the Year:
2010 Rebecca Soni, USA Ryan Lochte, USA
2009 Federica Pellegrini, ITA Michael Phelps, USA
2008 Stephanie Rice, AUS Michael Phelps, USA
2007 Laure Manaudou, FRA Michael Phelps, USA
2006 Leisel Jones, AUS Michael Phelps, USA
2005 Leisel Jones, AUS Grant Hackett, AUS
2004 Yana Klochkova, UKR Michael Phelps, USA
2003 Hannah Stockbauer, GER Michael Phelps, USA
2002 Natalie Coughlin, USA Ian Thorpe, AUS
2001 Inge De Bruijn, NED Ian Thorpe, AUS
2000 Inge De Bruijn, NED Pieter van den Hoogenband, NED
1999 Penny Heyns, RSA Ian Thorpe, AUS
1998 Jenny Thompson, USA Ian Thorpe, AUS
1997 Claudia Poll, CRC Michael Klim, Aus
1996 Penny Heyns, RSA Denis Pankratov, RUS
1995 Kristina Egerszegi, HUN Denis Pankratov, RUS
1994 Samantha Riley, AUS Kieren Perkins, AUS
1993 Franziska Van Almsick, GER Karoly Guttler, HUN
1992 Kristina Egerszegi, HUN Egveni Sadovyi, URS
1991 Kristina Egerszegi, HUN Tamas Darnyi, HUN
1990 Janet Evans, USA Mike Barrowman, USA
1989 Janet Evans, USA Mike Barrowman, USA
1988 Kristin Otto, GDR Matt Biondi, USA
1987 Janet Evans, USA Tamas Darnyi, HUN
1986 Kristin Otto, GDR Matt Biondi, USA
1985 Mary T. Meagher, USA Michael Gross, FRG
1984 Kristin Otto, GDR Alex Baumann, CAN
1983 Ute Geweniger, GDR Rick Carey, USA
1982 Petra Schneider, GDR Vladimir Salnikov, URS
1981 Mary T. Meagher, USA Alex Baumann, CAN
1980 Petra Schneider, GDR Rowdy Gaines, USA
1979 Cynthia Woodhead, USA Vladimir Salnikov, URS
1978 Tracy Caulkins, USA Jesse Vassallo, USA
1977 Ulrike Tauber, GDR Brian Goodell, USA
1976 Kornelia Ender, GDR John Naber, USA
1975 Kornelia Ender, GDR Tim Shaw, USA
1974 Ulrike Tauber, GDR Tim Shaw, USA
1973 Kornelia Ender, GDR Rick DeMont, USA
1972 Shane Gould, AUS Mark Spitz, USA
1971 Shane Gould, AUS Mark Spitz, USA
1970 Alice Jones, USA Gary Hall, USA
1969 Debbie Meyer, USA Gary Hall, USA
1968 Debbie Meyer, USA Charles Hickcox, USA
1967 Debbie Meyer, USA Mark Spitz, USA
1966 Claudia Kolb, USA Mike Burton, USA
1965 N/A Dick Roth, USA
1964 N/A Don Schollander, USA
Previous American Swimmers of the Year
2010 Rebecca Soni Ryan Lochte
2009 Ariana Kukors/Rebecca Soni Michael Phelps
2008 Natalie Coughlin Michael Phelps
2007 Katie Hoff Michael Phelps
2006 Katie Hoff Michael Phelps
2005 Katie Hoff Aaron Peirsol
2004 Amanda Beard Michael Phelps
2003 Amanda Beard Michael Phelps
2002 Natalie Coughlin Michael Phelps
2001 Natalie Coughlin Michael Phelps
2000 Brooke Bennett Tom Dolan/Lenny Krayzelburg
1999 Jenny Thompson Lenny Krayzelburg
1998 Jenny Thompson Lenny Krayzelburg
1997 Kristine Quance Lenny Krayzelburg
1996 Amy Van Dyken Men's 400 meter Medley Relay team
Jeff Rouse, Jeremy Linn,
Mark Henderson, Gary Hall, Jr.
1995 Amy Van Dyken Tom Dolan
1994 Allison Wagner Tom Dolan
1993 Jenny Thompson Eric Namesnik
1992 Summer Sanders Mike Barrowman
1991 Janet Evans Mike Barrowman
1990 Janet Evans Mike Barrowman
1989 Janet Evans Mike Barrowman
1988 Janet Evans Matt Biondi
1987 Janet Evans Dave Wharton
1986 Betsy Mitchell Matt Biondi
1985 Mary T. Meagher Matt Biondi
1984 Tracy Caulkins Pablo Morales
1983 Tiffany Cohen Rick Carey
1982 Tracy Caulkins Steve Lundquist
1981 Tracy Caulkins Craig Beardsley
1980 Tracy Caulkins Mike Bruner
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December 2011 Issue
Contents of The December issue:
8 10 Best Performances of 2011 by John Lohn
12 World and Regional Swimmers of the Year by Jason Marsteller and Jeff Commings
20 Diving, Water Polo, Synchronized Swimming Award Winners
22 Defining Moments by Judy Jacob
The Pan-Am Games appear to be Brazil's Thiago Pereira's own personal playground, as he matched his records for most gold medals and overall medals that he had set four years ago.
28 Workout Card: Las Vegas Masters by Vic Hecker
30 Q&A with Coach Monty Hopkins by Michael J. Stott
32 How They Train: Josh Schneider by Michael J. Stott
33 Science of Performance: Off-season Training by G. John Mullen
The off-season is a good time to stay productive and help make yourself a better swimmer.
36 American Relay by Judy Jacob
37 TYR Age Group Swimmer of the Month
42 World & American Record Progressions by Jason Marsteller
DEPARTMENTS
6 A Voice for the Sport
24 Holiday Gift Guide
39 Calendar
41 For the Record
46 Parting Shot
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