Olympic stars Leon Marchand and Summer McIntosh named World Aquatics Swimmers of the Year
The multiple Olympic gold medallists from Paris 2024 were decleared winners after a public vote on World Aquatics’ Instagram and with a nomination committee.
Swimming
Multiple swimming Olympic gold medallists Leon Marchand and Summer McIntosh capped a magnificent year by being named World Aquatics Male and Female Athletes of the Year respectively.
The awards were based on public voting on World Aquatics’ Instagram and a nomination committee.
Frenchman Marchand set his home Olympics alight at Paris 2024 by becoming the first swimmer since Michael Phelps to win four individual golds at one Games.
The 22-year-old’s victories came in the 200m breaststroke, 200m butterfly and 200m and 400m individual medleys.
But that was just the beginning.
At the short course World Cup Series in October, he secured nine consecutive crowns - including a new 200m individual medley world record - to seal the overall men’s title.
He took Male Swimmer of the Year over fellow individual Olympic gold medallists Pan Zhanle of the People’s Republic of China, Ireland’s Daniel Wiffen, U.S. swimmer Bobby Finke, and Hungary’s Kristóf Milák.
Summer McIntosh, just 17 years old at Paris 2024, captured Olympic titles in the 200m fly and 200m and 400m IMs.
Showing no signs of fatigue, the Canadian went on to put on a masterclass at the World Aquatics Swimming Championships (25m) in Budapest, McIntosh, shattering three of her own world records in the 400m individual medley, 200m butterfly, and the 400m freestyle.
“I don’t even know how to put it into words,” McIntosh told World Aquatics.
“It’s been pretty crazy and all over the place with the Olympics and this. Lots of ups and downs, but overall amazing, and I couldn’t have done it without all my support. I’m so grateful for that. I had an amazing 2024 overall, in and out of the pool, so I couldn’t be more happy.”
The other Female Swimmer of the Year nominees were U.S. athletes Katie Ledecky and Regan Smith, Australia’s Kaylee McKeown, and Swede Sarah Sjöström.