The Canadian team had a successful showing at two of the biggest competitions of the 2013 season. At the 2013 FINA World Championships in Barcelona they collected four medals (one silver and three bronze) and at the Universiade in Kazan they collected a total of five medals (one gold, one silver and three bronze).
There were a few swimmers who helped the Canadian team’s medal totals that could have taken this award, but this year’s Swammy Award for the Canadian Swimmer of the Year goes to Hilary Caldwell. Caldwell had a breakout season in 2012 when she qualified for the Olympic team in the 200 backstroke, but that was nothing compared to her 2013 season. Caldwell taking the bronze in the 200 backstroke was a thrilling race and a surprise for many, as she went into the competition with a best time of 2:09.14.
What put Caldwell a step above the other swimmers in contention for this award, was not only her result in Barcelona, but the improvements she made to get there. She went from a 2:09.14 going into the meet to winning the bronze in a time of 2:06.80, setting a new Canadian record. From there she went on to compete in the World Cup in Eindhoven where she set another Canadian record posting a time of 2:02.56, after coming into the season with a lifetime best of 2:05.91.
Caldwell also received the Swimming Canada Big Splash Awards for Female Swimmer of the Year.
Honourable Mentions:
Ryan Cochrane had another good season following a successful Olympic showing where he picked up a silver in the 1500 freestyle posting a new Canadian record time of 15:39.63. Cochrane collected two medals at the World Championships, silver in the 1500 freestyle and a bronze in the 800 freestyle, but he did not clock a lifetime best in either event and did not match his performance from the 2011 World Championships where he brought home silver in both the 800 and 1500 freestyle.
Eric Hedlin was another swimmer who like his teammate Hilary Caldwell had a breakout season. Hedlin won the silver medal in the 5 km in Barcelona and took the bronze in the 800 freestyle in Kazan at the Universiade. Hedlin posted a 7:53.78 to win the bronze in Kazan, which was an improvement of almost 13 seconds from his lifetime best coming into the 2013 season.
Katerine Savard had an incredible year winning the gold in the 100 butterfly and silver in the 50 butterfly at the Universiade in Kazan as well as setting three new national records in the 50 butterfly (26.05), 100 butterfly (57.31) and the 100 butterfly SCM (56.35).
Savard also finished fifth in Barcelona in the 100 butterfly.