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A Time To Honour Lochte & Crippen
Sep 17, 2011
Winner of five gold medals at the 2011 FINA World Championships, two-time Olympian Ryan Lochte was named USA Swimming Athlete of the Year tonight. Lochte, who became the first swimmer to break a world record since the banning of polyurethane suits, also received a Performance Award for his record-breaking swim in the 200m IM (1:54.00) at World Championships.
“The fact that Ryan Lochte broke the first swimming world record in 19 months in one of the closest races at World Championships says a lot about Ryan’s competitive spirit and his will to succeed,” said USA Swimming National Team Director Frank Busch. “He is truly a great competitor and he has become a cornerstone of the U.S. men’s National Team heading into next year’s Olympic Games.”
The family of Fran Crippen, the open water swimmer who died tragically at a race in Dubai last October, was honored with the Athletes’ Appreciation Award. The Athletes’ Appreciation Award recognizes the individual or organization perceived by the committee to have contributed most significantly to the Athletes' Movement.
"While the entire Crippen Family has contributed to the competitive success of USA Swimming, Maddy and Fran were instrumental in increasing National Team Athlete support through the Athlete Partnership Agreement, motivating young swimmers with heart felt clinics and leading the ongoing push for Open Water safety,” said Tyler Storie, chair of the Athletes’ Executive Committee. “Their contributions to the athletes of USA Swimming are invaluable."
Additionally, Crippen’s personal coach, Richard Shoulberg was presented with the USA Swimming Award. The USA Swimming Award is the highest honor in the sport of swimming, given to the individual or organization with the most outstanding contribution to the sport. Shoulberg will serve as head coach of Team USA at the upcoming Pan American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico.
In open water swimming, three awards were presented. World Championships gold and bronze medalist Ashley Twichell was named Female Open Water Swimmer of the Year while Alex Meyer, fourth-place finisher in the men’s 10K and the first athlete to qualify for the 2012 U.S. Olympic Swim Team, was named Fran Crippen Memorial Male Open Water Swimmer of the Year. Also, Maddy Crippen was presented with the Glen S. Hummer Award, given to the person making the greatest contribution to open water swimming.
The award winners:
