List of Swimming World Swimmers of the Year
World Swimmers of the Year
The award was inaugurated in 1964, when Swimming World named Don Schollander as its World Swimmer of the Year. Two years later, a female category was added.

List of Swimming World Swimmers of the Year

Section Title: World Swimmers of the Year
Table Section Text: The award was inaugurated in 1964, when Swimming World named Don Schollander as its World Swimmer of the Year. Two years later, a female category was added.

Year	Female Winner	Nationality	Male Winner	Nationality

1964	Not awarded	N/A	Don Schollander	United States

1965	Not awarded	N/A	Peter Wang	United States

1966	Claudia Kolb	United States	Mike Burton	United States

1967	Debbie Meyer	United States	Mark Spitz	United States

1968	Debbie Meyer	United States	Charlie Hickcox	United States

1969	Debbie Meyer	United States	Gary Hall, Sr.	United States

1970	Alice Jones	United States	Gary Hall, Sr.	United States

1971	Shane Gould	Australia	Mark Spitz	United States

1972	Shane Gould	Australia	Mark Spitz	United States

1973	Kornelia Ender	East Germany	Rick DeMont	United States

1974	Ulrike Tauber	East Germany	Tim Shaw	United States

1975	Kornelia Ender	East Germany	Tim Shaw	United States

1976	Kornelia Ender	East Germany	John Naber	United States

1977	Ulrike Tauber	East Germany	Brian Goodell	United States

1978	Tracy Caulkins	United States	Jesse Vassallo	United States

1979	Cynthia Woodhead	United States	Vladimir Salnikov	Soviet Union

1980	Petra Schneider	East Germany	Rowdy Gaines	United States

1981	Mary T. Meagher	United States	Alex Baumann	Canada

1982	Petra Schneider	East Germany	Vladimir Salnikov	Soviet Union

1983	Ute Geweniger	East Germany	Rick Carey	United States

1984	Kristin Otto	East Germany	Alex Baumann	Canada

1985	Mary T. Meagher	United States	Michael Groß	West Germany

1986	Kristin Otto	East Germany	Matt Biondi	United States

1987	Janet Evans	United States	Tamás Darnyi	Hungary

1988	Kristin Otto	East Germany	Matt Biondi	United States

1989	Janet Evans	United States	Mike Barrowman	United States

1990	Janet Evans	United States	Mike Barrowman	United States

1991	Krisztina Egerszegi	Hungary	Tamás Darnyi	Hungary

1992	Krisztina Egerszegi	Hungary	Yevgeny Sadovyi	Russia

1993	Franziska van Almsick	Germany	Károly Güttler	Hungary

1994	Samantha Riley	Australia	Kieren Perkins	Australia

1995	Krisztina Egerszegi	Hungary	Denis Pankratov	Russia

1996	Penny Heyns	South Africa	Denis Pankratov	Russia

1997	Claudia Poll	Costa Rica	Michael Klim	Australia

1998	Jenny Thompson	United States	Ian Thorpe	Australia

1999	Penny Heyns	South Africa	Ian Thorpe	Australia

2000	Inge de Bruijn	Netherlands	Pieter van den Hoogenband	Netherlands

2001	Inge de Bruijn	Netherlands	Ian Thorpe	Australia

2002	Natalie Coughlin	United States	Ian Thorpe	Australia

2003	Hannah Stockbauer	Germany	Michael Phelps	United States

2004	Yana Klochkova	Ukraine	Michael Phelps	United States

2005	Leisel Jones	Australia	Grant Hackett	Australia

2006	Leisel Jones	Australia	Michael Phelps	United States

2007	Laure Manaudou	France	Michael Phelps	United States

2008	Stephanie Rice	Australia	Michael Phelps	United States

2009	Federica Pellegrini	Italy	Michael Phelps	United States

2010	Rebecca Soni	United States	Ryan Lochte	United States

2011	Rebecca Soni	United States	Ryan Lochte	United States

2012	Missy Franklin	United States	Michael Phelps	United States

2013	Katie Ledecky	United States	Sun Yang	China

2014	Katie Ledecky	United States	Kosuke Hagino	Japan

2015	Katie Ledecky	United States	Adam Peaty	Great Britain

2016	Katie Ledecky	United States	Michael Phelps	United States

2017	Sarah Sjöström	Sweden	Caeleb Dressel	United States

2018	Katie Ledecky	United States	Adam Peaty	Great Britain

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