Alex Meyer, the first American swimming qualifier for the 2012 London Olympics, was selected as USA Swimming’s Breakout Performer of the Year. Surrounded by fellow Olympians from at least the last 9 Olympics, Alex was awarded the honor at the eighth annual USA Swimming Foundation Golden Goggle Awards in Los Angeles, California.
The awards gala celebrated the accomplishments of the America 2011 FINA World Championship Team in Shanghai, China that included Alex, the 25K world champion who courageously declined the opportunity to defend his world title due to the conditions that exceeded FINA’s own self-imposed water temperature guidelines.
It was an honor well-deserved.
In water temperatures that were warmer than the conditions that were present when Fran Crippen died at a FINA 10K race in Dubai, FINA’s Medical Delegate allowed the 25K race to continue despite the protests of coaches and swimmers, including Alex‘s fellow world champions Thomas Lurz of Germany and Linsy Heister of the Netherlands who also turned down the opportunity to earn another world championship title.
His Olympic qualification swim in the 10K and his USA National Championship 10K victory – showing obvious talent in the water – and his courage in refusing to swim in water that exceeded 32°C (89.6°F) – showing principle and leadership – were factors that Alex was known for in 2012.
A breakout year indeed for the Harvard University graduate … an intellectual marathon swimmer with an intense focus on the 2012 London Olympics where a breakout performance in Hyde Park on August 10th 2012 is his long-term goal.
For more details on other award winners, click here.
Southern California native, born 1962, is the creator of the WOWSA Awards, Oceans Seven, Openwaterpedia, Citrus Corps, World Open Water Swimming Association, Daily News of Open Water Swimming, Global Open Water Swimming Conference. He is Chief Executive Officer of KAATSU Global and KAATSU Research Institute. Inductee in the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame (Honor Swimmer, Class of 2001) and Ice Swimming Hall of Fame (Honor Contributor - Media, Class of 2019), recipient of the International Swimming Hall of Fame's Poseidon Award (2016), International Swimming Hall of Fame's Irving Davids-Captain Roger Wheeler Memorial Award (2010), USA Swimming's Glen S. Hummer Award (2007, 2010) and Harvard University's John B. Imrie Award (1984). Served on the FINA Technical Open Water Swimming Committee and as Technical Delegate with the 2011 Special Olympics World Summer Games, and 9-time USA Swimming coaching staff. Note: WOWSA only recommends products or services used or recommended by the community. WOWSA does not receive compensation for links or products mentioned on this site or in blog posts. If it does, it will be indicated clearly on that specific post. See WOWSA's privacy policy for more information.