PHOENIX, Arizona, November 28. DURING the course of the next few days, Swimming World will be announcing the winners of the 2010 World/Regional Swimmers of the Year. Today, we honor the African Swimmers of the Year!
South Africa's Mandy Loots picked up the women's award, while compatriot Cameron van der Burgh snared the men's honor.
With Zimbabwe's Kirsty Coventry taking a break for most of the year, the door was wide open for someone to grab attention, and Loots did just that with three titles at the African Championships.
THE TOP 5:
AFRICAN SWIMMERS OF THE YEAR
FEMALE
1. MANDY LOOTS, South Africa
2. Kathryn Meaklim, South Africa
3. Karin Prinsloo, South Africa
4. Chanelle van Wyk, South Africa
5. Leone Vorster, South Africa
Van der Burgh, meanwhile, defended his African Swimmer of the Year title from last year that he shared with Tunisia's Ous Mellouli. Van der Burgh won a pair of breaststroke titles at the Commonwealth Games en route to his title defense.
MALE
1. CAMERON VAN DER BURGH, South Africa
2. Chad Le Clos, South Africa
3. Jason Dunford, Kenya
4. Roland Schoeman, South Africa
5. Nabil Kebbab, Algeria