2 x USA, 2 x Australia | Three swimmers and one swimmer can hope to win the Laureus Prize

Three swimmers and one swimmer hope to be recognized for their achievements at the Laureus World Sports Awards this spring. You are among the nominees for coveted awards.

With seven podium finishes completed, Emma McKeon was the most successful swimmer at the Tokyo Olympics. The 27-year-old won four gold medals in the 50 and 100 m freestyle and as a member of the Australian relay teams in the 4 x 100 m freestyle and 4 x 100 m individual medley. Three bronze medals in the 100m Butterfly with substitutions in the 4x200m freestyle and 4x100m mixed medley completed the successful result. In doing so, McKeon tied with Soviet gymnast Maria Gorokhovskaya, who won seven medals at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics, more than any other woman in an Olympic event. For this performance, McKeon was nominated in the Sports of the Year category for the 2022 Laureus Sports Award, as was endurance specialist Katie Ledecky. With her Olympic victories in the 800 and 1500 meter freestyle and second places in the 400 meter freestyle and 4 x 200 meter freestyle relay, she became the most successful American woman at the Summer Olympics for the second time in a row. After 2016, Ledecky defended her 800-meter freestyle title for the second time.

Double gold in the Olympic bid

Ariarne Titmus is among the nominees for the 2022 Laureus Sports Award in the Breakthrough of the Year category. In Tokyo, the young Australian achieved what no one thought possible before. She defeated defending champion Ledecky in the 400 and 200 meter freestyle and earned two gold medals on her Olympic debut.

American sprinter Caleb Dressel was also nominated for Athlete of the Year. Over 50 and 100 m freestyle and 100 m butterfly there was no way he could beat him at the Games in Tokyo, as he completed the gold relay on the 4 x 100 m freestyle and 4 x 100 m individual medley to Olympic success.

Awareness and promotion

The Laureus World Sports Award has been given to athletes and teams of all disciplines since 2000. Nominations for the prestigious award are proposed by a jury of independent sports journalists. The presentation of the awards and the resulting media presence should help Laureus Sport for Good become better known and therefore more funded. Through several projects, the Foundation wants to help children and youth lead a better life through sports. Sports values ​​such as team spirit, fair play, respect and discipline must also be conveyed.