Swimming World Throwback Thursday Video: Relive Highlights of the 2006 Golden Goggles

PHOENIX, Arizona, November 21. USA Swimming’s Golden Goggle award ceremony is coming up on Sunday, and anticipation is high to find out who will win in the eight categories featuring some of the best athletes and coaches in the country.

Today’s Throwback Thursday video takes us back to the 2006 ceremony, where achievements from that year’s Pan Pacific championships were highlighted. Cullen Jones was awarded Breakout Performer of the Year after being a part of the world record-setting 400 free relay, and Whitney Myers took Female Race of the Year for her stunning gold medal in the 200 IM at the Pan Pac meet.

The race for Male Athlete of the Year was tight. All three nominees — Brendan Hansen, Aaron Peirsol and Brendan Hansen — had broken a world record in Victoria at the Pan Pacific championships, so it was just a matter of deciding which athlete had the best year. Voters picked Hansen not only for his 200 breast world record in Canada, but for the two he set at the national championships a few weeks earlier. In accepting the award, he commended Peirsol and Phelps for getting him motivated to get that third record.

That was the last time someone other than Phelps or Ryan Lochte took home that award. Lochte is nominated for Male Athlete of the Year, and we’ll find out on Sunday evening if he can win his fourth award, tying him with Phelps. Or will Matt Grevers steal the show?

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