WNBA superstar Candace Parker has won the Women’s Sports Foundation Sportswoman of the Year Award for 2013 for team athletes, and American swimming star Missy Franklin took the honor for individual sports.
Parker was the 2013 WNBA MVP, WNBA All-Star Game NVP, and led the Los Angeles Sparks to the playoffs with a 24-10 record.
Franklin’s year included 6 gold medals at the World Championships, pushing her to 9 for her career (more than any woman in long course Worlds history).
Other finalists for the individual award included Japanese figure skater Mao Asada, American snowboarder Kelly Clark, Slovenian skier Tina Maze, Paralympic Track & Field star Tatyana McFadden, Korean golfer Inbee Park, American pole vaulter Jenn Suhr, and American tennis player Serena Williams.
Past swimmers to have won the award include Amy Van Dyken (1996), Jenny Thompson (2000), Natalie Coughlin (2003), and Erin Popovich (2005).
Franklin was in New York tonight to be a part of the ceremony, but is expected to be back with the Cal team in time for their top-10 showdown with the Florida Gators this weekend.
(Correction: an earlier version of this article incorrectly identified Parker as winning over Franklin – the two took separate awards.)
Off topic, but interesting article on the Yannick Agnel’s life in Baltimore. Sorry, in French.
http://www.lequipe.fr/Natation/Actualites/Agnel-version-baltimore/409481
Here’s an interview. Sorry, in French.
http://www.lequipe.fr/Natation/Actualites/Agnel-je-me-sens-chez-moi/409470
It looks like he enjoys his new life there.
He also confirms the stupid and crazy potential idea of the 100 free/200 free/400 free triple, at least next year at the European championships.
I like Missy very much since day 1 I watched her in 2009 but it’s weird to not see Miss Ledecky with the award.
Missy has done fantastic world championships with 6 gold medals but in my opinion, Katie Ledecky deserves the title of female swimmer of the year in USA and in the world. She was named female swimmer of the world championships by FINA. What she has done in Barcelona is a meet for ages and deserves much recognition. Missy will have plenty of other opportunities in the future. She will be dominant at least until 2024! Give all the awards of this year to Katie!
Anyway, Missy or Katie, USA is very lucky to have… Read more »
This is one of those awards where part of the criteria is: “Do you serve as an ambassador for your sport and a good role model outside the gym, pool, track, or ski slope?” and Missy does do more in that category than Ledecky does.
Much like the Sullivan Award this is not simply an Athlete of the year recognition. Like Beachdude says performance is just one component of it.
the photo caption: “Missy Franklin hugs Megan Romano after the latter ran down the Dutch and Australians to win the 400 free relay at the World Championships”
Romano did not run down the dutch. The dutchwomen were never ahead of the americans during the relay.
Australians!
I don’t mean to correct anyone but just to be accurate, Candace Parker plays in the WNBA for the Los Angeles Sparks.