Commentary: Who Would YOU Pick As 2015 Australian Swimmer of the Year?

2015 Australia Swimmer of the Year candidates

Commentary by Jeff Commings, Swimming World Senior Writer

Swimming Australia has rarely had as difficult a choice picking the Australian Swimmer of the Year as they do in 2015. The country was stellar at the world championships, picking up seven gold medals. Bronte Campbell, Emily Seebohm and Mitch Larkin were responsible for the six individual gold medals, each winning two. Seebohm and Campbell contributed also to the dominating win by the Aussies in the women’s 400 free relay.

In previous years, picking the country’s best swimmer wasn’t very difficult. Naming Cate Campbell the best of the best in 2013 and 2014 was pretty much a no-brainer, and selecting Ian Thorpe a record five times was an easy choice. This year, those involved with the voting are probably wishing separate awards for the best male and female swimmers existed.

If you look solely on individual medals won, Seebohm, Bronte Campbell and Larkin are in a tie. Perhaps that’s how the announcement will go at Saturday’s ceremony. Thorpe and Grant Hackett tied in 2003, so there is precedent. But look deeper, and the choice becomes a bit easier.

If using only the current world rankings, Bronte Campbell is out of the running. She’s not ranked number one in the world in the 50 free, one of the events she won at worlds. Big sister Cate still has the top global time in the splash-and-dash, but Bronte’s 52.52 from worlds does rank her at the top of the world. That’s a first for Bronte, and her wins will still be celebrated Down Under.

Seebohm and Larkin are ranked at the top in the 100 and 200 backstrokes for their genders, and both swam season bests to get those gold medals. Seebohm was just three hundredths off her lifetime best in the 100 back, and made a major drop to take the 200 back gold medal. Larkin, too, had major improvements in the backstrokes, especially in the 200. In terms of ranks on the all-time performances list, both of them are eighth in the 200, while Seebohm’s 100 back from Kazan is fourth all time.

Perhaps we’d have to give the nod to Seebohm based on her 100 back. Add in the relays, though, and it might be a tough call. She was part of the dominating 400 free relay, and helped the Aussies win bronze in the 400 medley relay. The Australian men won silver in the 400 medley relay, with Larkin swimming just .01 slower than he did in the individual event (Seebohm was .55 slower in the relay.)

If you take away the numbers, it’s still hard to pick. Seebohm has been a bridesmaid at several world championships and Olympic Games in the backstrokes. To see her on the top of the medal podium gave her coaches and teammates – as well as a cheering Australian fan base – a great sense of pride. I personally saw the smile on her face as she walked through the mixed zone after both backstroke wins, and I hadn’t seen that before from her.

Larkin’s wins can be categorized as “breakthroughs,” though he was the 200 back champion last year at the Commonwealth Games. He beat Matt Grevers, the defending world champion, in the 100 back, and was not to be denied a double gold in the 200 over another strong field in his first world championships.

If I were to choose based on times and stats, Seebohm gets my vote. If I were to pick solely on emotion, Larkin wins.

OK, it’s the moment of truth. I’m picking Seebohm.

She won two individual gold medals, one relay gold and one relay bronze. Her medal count is higher than Larkin’s. Her backstroke wins have been a long time coming, and judges who vote with their hearts likely remember how long Seebohm has been waiting for individual world championship gold.

Whoever is named on Saturday is a worthy winner.

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Sanele Nxumalo
8 years ago

Cameron McEvoy

Jeff Commings
8 years ago
Reply to  Sanele Nxumalo

Yes, McEvoy would be a good choice. If he had won the 100 free, I would have counted him as a strong candidate.

Sanele Nxumalo
8 years ago
Reply to  Sanele Nxumalo

Who then??

superfan
superfan
8 years ago

you are right…very tough call.

Dunc1952
Dunc1952
8 years ago

You made the right call, Jeff.

commonwombat
commonwombat
8 years ago

Glad I’m not the person having to make the call.

Larkin was the “breakthrough” but the same could be said for C2 (Bronte). Both went in their events as medal chance but perhaps more “outside bets”.

I accept your using times as a key criteria but if we are also using relay performances then that brings C2 back into the equation. All three had excellent relay performances but C2’s efforts in both 4×100 & 4xMED were on a different level ( in the later she saved a bronze for her team after inept brs & fly legs & it was her leg in 4×100 that essentially decided the race).

If we’re talking total “loot” , then Larkin (2 individual golds & 1 relay silver) is shaded by both ladies (2 individual gold, 1 relay gold & 1 relay bronze).

On the score of “dominance of their event(s)”, Larkin possibly just shades Seebohm 2 events to 1 with C2 not going into either race as either favourite or fastest qualifier.

Any one of the three would be completely worthy winner. I have no issue with Jeff’s call but I would not raise a complaint over any of the three.

Re McEvoy, he swam well in the individual 100 & he saved the AUS M4XMED’s skin/hindquarters with his anchor leg but his 200fs was only middling & his 4×200 better than his previous outings but not stellar. A good meet overall but on a lower tier to the three “goldbugs”

superfan
superfan
8 years ago

Unfortunately, they will probably do what the USA does with Golden Goggles and spread out the awards so everyone goes home with an award and doesn’t feel left out.

petriasfan
petriasfan
8 years ago

Without a doubt, Emily Seebohm deserves to be named Australian Swimmer of the year. She has been extremely consistent this year with her efforts in the 100m back. But if the judges were to look at their individual performances, does Larkin get it as he was able to set new Australian and Commonwealth records in the 100m and 200m back? Emily Seebohm only managed to set a new Australian and Commonwealth record in the 200m back. Bronte Campbell did not set any new Aust or Commonwealth records.

Kate Hauck
8 years ago

Very difficult – these three all deserve it!

Erika Villegas
8 years ago

Jack Carr

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