A pair of American female swimmers were ranked in the top 10 of Eurosport’s world athletes of 2013 list.
Behind eventual winner, track-star Usain Bolt (206 points), 16-year old Katie Ledecky ranked 7th in the voting with 84 points, and Missy Franklin ranked 9th in the voting with 61 points.
Swimming was one of only two sports to get a pair of nods on the list, along with Tennis who had one male (Rafael Nadal) and one female (Serena Williams) make the ranks.
Ledecky won four gold medals at the Barcelona World Championships this summer, sweeping the three longest freestyles (400, 800, and 1500) and adding on another as part of a resounding American effort in the 800 free relay. What’s more, in the 800 and 1500 she destroyed World Records, and came close as well in the 400, becoming just the second woman to ever break four minutes.
Franklin, whose story is well-told, won 6 gold medals at the World Championships in 7 events (the only letdown was a scratch out of the 50 back after prelims). That was the most golds ever won by a female at a single World Championship meet, and gave her the record for the most won all-time at the World Championships as well.
At those World Championships, swimming’s premier meet of 2013, Ledecky beat out Franklin for Swimmer of the Meet honors.
To see the full list, along with the publication’s defense of Bolt as #1, click here.
That is great company to be with for both of the young women.
You talk here about the rankings made by Eurosport France.
Wow! Bolt first! Amazing surprise! He’s the French media darling.