Team USA’s Ryan Lochte and Swedish sprint star Therese Alshammar were named the 2010 FINA World Swimmers of the Year by FINA Aquatics World Magazine.
Lochte won 5 individual golds at the 2010 Dubai Short Course World Championships in as many events, including the only 2 individual World Records set in 2010. Along with those 5 golds, Lochte went a perfect 6-for-6 at the 2010 Pan Pacific Championships, which was the USA’s premier long course meet in 2010.
Alshammar used her versatility to claim the overall title in the 2010 FINA/Arena World Cup. She was also the World Champion in the 50 fly in Dubai, and took the European Championships in the 50 fly and 50 free en route to a 5-medal performance in Budapest.
The winners were voted on by each of FINA’s 202 Member Federations, along with media members, FINA bureau and committee members, and FINA commission members. Winners were also chosen in each of the other 4 disciplines governed by FINA (water polo, diving, synchronized swimming, open water swimming).
Other Honorees:
WATER POLO
Men – Vanja Udovicic (SRB): FINA World Cup and FINA World League champion
Women – Elizabeth Armstrong (USA): FINA World Cup and FINA World League champion
DIVING
Men – Patrick Hausding (GER): Silver medallist at the FINA World Cup (3m), second overall at the FINA World Series (10m synchro)
Women – Ruolin Chen (CHN): Overall winner at the FINA World Series (10m and 10m synchro), Gold (10m synchro) and silver (10m) at the FINA World Cup
SYNCHRONISED SWIMMING
Natalia Ishchenko (RUS): Gold medallist at the FINA World Cup (solo and team)
OPEN WATER SWIMMING
Men – Valerio Cleri (ITA): Gold (10km) and silver (25km) at the FINA World Open Water Swimming Championships
Women – Ana Marcela Cunha (BRA): Bronze (5km) at the FINA World Open Water Swimming Championships, overall winner of the FINA 10km Marathon Swimming World Cup.