Aurélie Sacchelli, Media365, published on Sunday December 15, 2024 at 11:25 p.m.
On the sidelines of the short course world championships in Budapest, World Aquatics named Léon Marchand and Summer McIntosh as best swimmers of the year.
The International Swimming Federation (World Aquatics) has designated its male and female swimmer of the year since 2010, and never before has a Frenchman been rewarded. It is now a done deal since this Sunday, Léon Marchand received this award, while Canadian Summer McIntosh was named swimmer of the year. At 22, the Toulouse native is rewarded for his exceptional year 2024, which saw him win four individual gold medals (a first since the legendary Michael Phelps in 2008) and a bronze relay medal at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games , four French championship titles, five American university titles (NCAA), breaking a world record in short course and four Olympic records. And there is no doubt that the harvest would have been even more fruitful if he had not given up participating in the short course world championships in Budapest this week, due to fatigue. The Chinese Zhanle Pan, the American Bobby Finke and the Irishman Daniel Wiffen were the others nominated for this award.
See you in Singapore next summer
Summer McIntosh was preferred to the Swede Sarah Sjostrom, the Australian Kaylee McKeown and the Americans Katie Ledecky and Regan Smith, and this seems deserved. At only 18 years old, the Toronto native, who, like Marchand, is a specialist in 4 strokes and butterfly, dazzled this year 2024, with three gold medals and a silver medal won in Paris, three world titles in short course and three short course world records. “I don’t even know how to express it,” reacted Ms. McIntosh, present in Budapest when the results were revealed. I've had a pretty crazy time, with the Olympics and everything that's happened. I've had a lot of ups and downs, but overall it's been amazing. I am very grateful for it. Overall, I've had an amazing 2024, in and out of the pool, and I couldn't be happier.” Léon Marchand and Summer McIntosh succeed Haiyang Qin and Kaylee McKeown respectively. To achieve the double in 2025, they will undoubtedly have to shine at the World Championships in Singapore from July 27 to August 3.
