USA Swimming to name Swimmer of The Year

USA Swimming is holding their annual convention this week in Detroit. They will be setting policy and stuff but the big thing is this:

On Saturday night, USA Swimming will name its Swimmer of the Year. Recent recipients have included Michael Phelps (Baltimore, Md.) and Aaron Peirsol (Irvine, Calif.).

Pretty cool. And Brendan has a really good chance of winning it. In my educated opinion he is the best candidate. There is only one other person who could come close to deserving the title, but his accomplishments aren't close to Brendan. There is not a whole lot we can do to influence these judges as we didn't find out early enough to make an argumentent with USA Swimming. BUT .... There is more.

In December, Swimming World Magazine will release it's selections for World Swimmers of the Year.

For the men, Michael Phelps and Brendan Hansen appear to be the front-running candidates. While Phelps set world records at the Pan Pacific Championships in the 200 individual medley, 200 butterfly and as a member of the 400 free relay, Hansen established three world records in the breaststroke events during the summer, with his 2:08.50 effort .54 lower than what the 200 breast mark was at the start of the season.

Also in the mix are Aaron Peirsol and Ryan Lochte. After winning the 100 and 200 backstrokes at U.S. Nationals, Peirsol doubled at Pan Pacs and set a world record in the 200 back, a race he hasn't lost since the Sydney Olympics. As for Lochte, his short-course season featured world records in the 100 and 200 backstrokes, along with the 200 I.M. For good measure, he clocked the fifth-fastest 200 I.M. (long course) en route to a silver medal behind Phelps at Pan Pacs.

For the women, the World Swimmer of the Year crown should be a two-woman battle between Australia's Leisel Jones and France's Laure Manaudou. Earlier in the year, Jones obliterated the world records in the 100 and 200 breaststrokes (long course). Most recently, she became the first woman in history to crack the 1:04 barrier in the 100 breast (short course). As for Manaudou, she twice lowered the world record in the 400 freestyle, an event that hadn't had its record touched in nearly 20 years when the season started.

Well it seems that Swimming World Magazine would love to hear who the people think is most deserving along with the reasons for this opinion. I know it's hard to write to strangers about things like this. It makes it very hard to do the work. But... it seems that we are to E-mail our choices for World Swimmers of the Year to johnl@swimmingworldmagazine.com. johnl... at Swimming World Magazine?! I think that is our good friend Jello... Lohner... Our dear John! So this will be a piece of cake. I am already penning my suggestions for swimmers of the year. I think this is the year that Brendan is the most logical choice.

He broke the World Record in the 100 LCM Breaststroke
He broke the World Record in the 200 LCM Breaststroke ... TWICE!
He broke the American Record in the 200 SCY Breaststroke
He was the Breast guy on the team that broke the American Record in the 200 SCY Medley Relay
He was the Breast guy on the team that broke the American Record in the 400 SCY Medley Relay
And he didn't just chip away at these records. He took chunks out. He is moving the bar to crazy heights and he is not finished yet. It should be a no brainer. But they are asking for help in picking. So let's give it.