Check out all of our 2015 Swammy Awards here.
2015 Female African Swimmer of the Year: Farida Osman
Egyptian Farida Osman has been making history in swimming since 2011, setting both national and continental records over the past few years.
Farida Osman of Cal in 100 fly final. Photo courtesy of Richard Quinton.
In 2011, Osman became the first ever Egyptian swimmer to win a Junior World Championship title in her most distinguished event, the 50m fly. Since then, she has continued to improve in that event setting both the Egyptian and African records this year.
At the 2013 World Championships in Barcelona, Spain, Osman set a national record in the semi-finals in the 50m butterfly (26.12), and became the first ever Egyptian swimmer to qualify for a final at any FINA World Championships.
2015 has been her most impressive year yet, swimming lifetime bests and setting national records in all of her top events. The 20-year old broke her previous Egyptian record in the 50m fly at the 2015 Arena Pro Swim Series meet in Santa Clara, setting a new national record and African record after she touched the pads in 26.08. She also set the Egyptian national record at the same meet in the 50m freestyle, finishing in 24.92.
At the 2015 World Championships in Kazan, Russia, Osman reset the Egyptian and African record in the 50m fly, finishing in 5th in the final in a time of 25.78. She also finished the 100m fly in Russia in a new national record time of 58.22
A month later at the 2015 All African Games in the Republic of Congo, Osman set another national record in the women’s 100m freestyle after she clocked in in a personal best time of 55.41. At this meet she swam a 26.31 in the 50m butterfly, which currently ranks her 10th in the world for this season.
Honorable Mentions:
Photo credit: Tim Binning
Kirsty Coventry, Zimbabwe: The Olympic Gold medalist and former world record holder made her debut this year after more than a 2 year break from the sport. At the 2015 Arena Pro Swim Series meet in Charlotte, she set a new Zimbabwean and African record in the 50m backstroke after she touched the pads in 28.23, breaking her previous 3-year old records of 28.31. She also three-peated as the All-Africa Games champ in a trio of events: she’s now won the 100 back, 200 back and 200 IM at that meet in 2007, 2011 and 2015.
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