Ledecky, Dressel, Finke, Jacoby Nominated for 3 Golden Goggles Awards Each

USA Swimming has announced the nominees for the 2021 Golden Goggles Awards. The 2021 edition will be hosted in Miami on December 7 – the event’s first time outside of LA or New York since first being held in 2004.

The event will be hosted by Mike Tirico, the famed NBC sports personality and commentator who first waded into swimming over the summer as the television play-by-play caller next to Rowdy Gaines during the U.S. Olympic Trials.

• Fans can vote for their favorites here.

A committee will vote, and that will be combined along with a fan vote (in an undisclosed ratio) to decide the winners. Online fan voting is open through November 18.

As is tradition, nominees for the Male and Female Athlete of the Year include individual medalists from each year’s “Operation Gold” meet, which this year was the Olympic Games.

Katie Ledecky, Caeleb Dressel, Lydia Jacoby, and Bobby Finke lead all athletes with three nominations each.

• SwimSwam’s unofficial ballot will be produced later this week.

2021 Golden Goggles Nominees

Breakout Performer of the Year
This award is given to the athlete whose performance(s) stand out in relation to other years, with special emphasis on the 2020 Olympic Games.

• Bobby Finke
• Katie Grimes
• Lydia Jacoby
• Emma Weyant

Perseverance Award
This award is given to the athlete who came back from adversity, retirement, sickness, injury, etc., to have an outstanding performance(s) in 2021, with special emphasis on the 2020 Olympic Games.

• Annie Lazor
• Erica Sullivan
• Tom Shields

Coach of the Year
This award is given to the coach whose athlete(s) performed at the highest level throughout the year, with special emphasis on the 2020 Olympic Games.

• Ron Aitken
• Jack Bauerle
• Todd DeSorbo
• Greg Meehan
• Anthony Nesty
• Gregg Troy

Relay Performance of the Year
This award is given to the best team relay performance, male or female. The performance considered must be a finals performance, with special emphasis on the 2020 Olympic Games.

• Women’s 4 x 200m Free Relay (2020 Olympic Games)
• Men’s 4 x 100m Free Relay (2020 Olympic Games)
• Men’s 4 x 100m Medley Relay (2020 Olympic Games)

Female Race of the Year
This award is given to the female swimmer with the greatest single individual race of the year, with special emphasis on the 2020 Olympic Games.

• Lydia Jacoby – 100m Breaststroke (2020 Olympic Games)
• Katie Ledecky – 800m Freestyle (2020 Olympic Games)
• Katie Ledecky – 1500m Freestyle (2020 Olympic Games)

Male Race of the Year 

This award is given to the male swimmer with the greatest single individual race of the year, with special emphasis on the 2020 Olympic Games.

• Caeleb Dressel – 100m Freestyle (2020 Olympic Games)
• Caeleb Dressel – 100m Butterfly (2020 Olympic Games)
• Bobby Finke – 800m Freestyle (2020 Olympic Games)
• Chase Kalisz – 400m Individual Medley (2020 Olympic Games)

Female Athlete of the Year 

This award is given to the top female swimmer of the year with special emphasis on achievements at the 2020 Olympic Games.

• Lydia Jacoby
• Katie Ledecky
• Lilly King
• Regan Smith

Male Athlete of the Year 

This award is given to the top male swimmer of the year with special emphasis on achievements at the 2020 Olympic Games.

• Bobby Finke
• Caeleb Dressel
• Chase Kalisz
• Ryan Murphy

On November 29, the Golden Goggles online silent auction will open with all proceeds benefiting the USA Swimming Foundation. Please visit www.usaswimming.org/foundation#golden-goggle-awards for more information.