New winners in swimming: Popovici and Meilutyte voted the best in Europe

Two new names appear on the LEN Awards’ all-time winners list in swimming (as well as their respective nations for the first time): Romania’s David Popovici and Lithuania’s Ruta Meilutyte have been voted Europe’s best in 2022. Jack Laugher of Great Britain claimed his third award in diving while Netherlands’ Sharon van Rouwendaal was the only one to retain her title from 2021. Spain doubled down the water polo awards, Italy also have two recognitions, in diving and in open water, while Ukraine got some positive news in these troubled times, thanks to their artistic swimming great Marta Fiedina. For the first time, fans could also weigh in and they casted 70,000 votes to support their favourites across the six disciplines. 

The LEN Awards for Europe’s best aquatic athletes were announced in 2008 for the first time, based on the votes of the National Federations. Fifteen years on, the governing body of European Aquatics decided to give the floor to the fans as well – the outcome of the public vote weighed 30% in the overall results. 

And it really counted in the race of the shortlisted female swimmers. Lithuanian swimming fans stepped up and their backing was decisive in Ruta Meilutyte’s first-ever LEN Award – their more than 8,000 votes swinged the decision in the returning breaststroke ace’s favour as the gap was only 2%. Meilutyte halted Sarah Sjostrom’s streak of four consecutive victories.

Romania’s David Popovici claimed an overwhelming win among the men – here the LEN voters favoured him heavily while Hungary’s Kristof Milak topped the public polls. Last year saw three individual long-course world records at the men’s majors – not surprisingly, the three WR-beaters also came 1-3 in the ranks. Popovici’s 100m WR in Rome was the real headline in 2022 as he brought down one of the last shiny WRs from 2009 (Milak beat his own mark in the 200m fly and Italy’s Thomas Ceccon stunned many with his 100m back WR).

Spain doubled down the water polo rewards as their national teams enjoyed a great summer: the men became world champions while the women retained their European title. Unai Aguirre was the best goalie at the Worlds and the voters recognised his outstanding contribution – he is the first Spanish man to win the award and the third goalie since 2008. Among the women, the Spaniards are frequent victors, Judith Forca is the third in four years and the seventh on the all-time list.

British diver Jack Laugher is one step closer to tie compatriot Tom Daley’s record of four LEN Awards. Laugher, enjoying another great season with two individual world medals (the only European having achieved that) and two European titles, managed to come first after 2016 and 2018. Among the ladies, Chiara Pellacani is the second Italian being crowned after Tania Cagnotto (who holds the absolute record with 7 awards).

The only athlete to retain her title from 2021 is Sharon van Rouwendaal, in open water swimming. The Dutchwoman amassed a fine set of gold medals last summer and rightfully claimed her fifth recognition after 2014, 2016, 2018 and 2021. As for the men, in wake of the Italians’ absolute dominance this season it may sound surprising that world and European champion Gregorio Paltrinieri is only the second Italian winner ever and the country had to wait 13 years to have a male LEN Award winner in this discipline.

The other Italian winner, Giorgio Minisini is not new in the business, this is his third award after being elected the best one on the first two occasions in artistic swimming. Among the women, Marta Fiedina brought some heart-warming news to her war-ridden Ukraine – the hero of the summer with two world titles and six European golds collected 60% of the votes, similarly high share as Minisini’s 75%.

There was no doubt that the champions of the inaugural European contests should receive the first-ever LEN Awards in high diving: Romania’s Constantin Popovici and Germany’s Iris Schmidbauer topped both polls, the federations’ votes and the public one alike.

Swimming, Men

David Popovici, ROU
Kristof Milak, HUN
Thomas Ceccon, ITA
Leon Marchand, FRA
Nicolo Martinenghi, ITA
56,16%
22,71%
13,79%
4,77%
2,56%

Diving, Men

Jack Laugher, GBR
Oleksiy Sereda, UKR
Kirill Boliukh, UKR
Timo Barthel, GER
Noah Williams, GBR
Lorenzo Marsaglia, ITA
Giovanni Tocci, ITA
36,21%
24,09%
9,13%
7,25%
7,12%
9,67%
6,50%

Artistic swimming, Men

Giorgio Minisini, ITA
Pau Ribes, ESP
Jozef Solymosy, SVK
75,80%
16,65%
7,50%

Swimming, Women

Ruta Meilutyte, LTU
Sarah Sjostrom, SWE
Marritt Steenbergen, NED
Benedetta Pilato, ITA
37,20%
35,11%
18,75%
8,93 %

Diving, Women

Chiara Pellacani, ITA
Sofiya Lyskun, UKR
Elena Bertocchi, ITA
Tina Punzel, GER
A. Spendolini-Sirieix, GBR
Lois Toulson, GBR
28,29%
25,94%
17,85%
10,94%
10,19%
6,69%

Artistic swimming, Women

Marta Fiedina, UKR
Linda Cerruti, ITA
Vasiliki Alexandri, AUT
60,61%
22,92%
16,41%

Open water, Men

Gregorio Paltrinieri, ITA
Florian Wellbrock, GER
Domenico Acerenza, ITA
Marc-Antoine Olivier, FRA
Dario Verani, ITA
63,79%
15,64%
9,54%
7,12%
3,99%

Water polo, Men

Unai Aguirre, ESP
Szilard Jansik, HUN
Alvaro Granados, ESP
Marko Bijac, CRO
Giacomo Cannella, ITA
36,39%
23,96%
14,93%
14,92%
9,80%

High diving, Men

Constantin Popovici, ROU
Catalin Preda, ROU
Alessandro de Rose, ITA
64,77%
24,18%
11,05%

Swimming, Women

Ruta Meilutyte, LTU
Sarah Sjostrom, SWE
Marritt Steenbergen, NED
Benedetta Pilato, ITA
37,20%
35,11%
18,75%
8,93 %

Diving, Women

Chiara Pellacani, ITA
Sofiya Lyskun, UKR
Elena Bertocchi, ITA
Tina Punzel, GER
A. Spendolini-Sirieix, GBR
Lois Toulson, GBR
28,29%
25,94%
17,85%
10,94%
10,19%
6,69%

Artistic swimming, Women

Marta Fiedina, UKR
Linda Cerruti, ITA
Vasiliki Alexandri, AUT
60,61%
22,92%
16,41%

Open water, Women

Sharon v. Rouwendaal, NED
Leonie Beck, GER
Giulia Gabbrielleschi, ITA
Aurelie Muller, FRA
Lea Boy, GER
55,12%
22,00%
10,46%
7,03%
5,38%

Water polo, Women

Judith Forca, ESP
Rita Keszthelyi, HUN
Eleftheria Plevritou, GRE
Brigitte Sleeking, NED
Roberta Bianconi, ITA
31,80%
27,37%
17,57%
14,63%
8,42%

High diving, Women

Iris Schmidbauer, GER
Antonina Vyshyvanova, UKR
Elise Cosetti, ITA
57,76%
21,65%
20,68%

The Winners

SWIMMING

David Popovici (ROU)

2x World Champion (100m free, 200m free)

2x European Champion (100m free, with World Record, 200m free)

s/c World silver medallist (100m free)

3x junior World champion

4x junior European champion.

Ruta Meilutyte (LTU)

World Champion (50m breast)

World bronze medallist (100m breast)

European Champion (50m breast)

European bronze medallist (100m breast)

s/c World Champion (50m breast, with World Record).

DIVING

Jack Laugher (GBR)

2x World silver medallist (1m, 3m synchro)

World bronze medallist (3m)

2x European Champion (1m, 3m synchro)

Chiara Pellacani (ITA)

World silver medallist (3m mixed synchro)

2x European Champion (3m, Team Event)

European silver medallist (3m synchro)

2x European bronze medallist (1m, 3m mixed synchro)

ARTISTIC SWIMMING

Giorgio Minisini (ITA)

2x World Champion (mixed duet free, mixed duet technical)

4x European Champion (solo free, solo technical, mixed duet free, mixed duet technical)

Marta Fiedina (UKR)

2x World Champion (free combination, highlight routine)

3x World silver medallist (solo free, solo technical, team free)

6x European Champion (solo free, solo technical, team free, team technical, free combination, highlight routine)

OPEN WATER

Gregorio Paltrinieri (ITA)

World Champion (10km)

World silver medallist (5km)

World bronze medallist (Relay)

2x European Champion (5km, Team)

World Series overall winner (winner of 3 legs)

Sharon van Rouwendaal (NED)

World Champion (10km)

World bronze medallist (25km)

European Champion (5km)

World Series overall runner-up

WATER POLO

Unai Aguirre (ESP)

World Champion

Best goalkeeper of the World Championships

European bronze medallist

World League bronze medallist

Judith Forca (ESP)

World Championship 5th

Top scorer of the World Championship

European champion

World League winner

Euro League runner-up (w/ Sabadell)

HIGH DIVING

Constantin Popovici (ROU)

European Champion

5th overall in cliff diving World Series

Iris Schmidbauer (GER)

European Champion

9th overall in cliff diving World Series

ALL-TIME WINNERS’ LIST

Swimming

Men

2008: Alain Bernard (France)
2009: Paul Biedermann (Germany)
2010: Camille Lacourt (France)
2011: Alexander Dale Oen (Norway)
2012: Yannick Agnel (France)
2013: Yannick Agnel (France)
2014: Florent Manaudou (France)
2015: Laszlo Cseh (Hungary)
2016: Adam Peaty (Great Britain)
2017: Adam Peaty (Great Britain)
2018: Kliment Kolesnikov (Russia)
2019: Adam Peaty (Great Britain)
2021: Adam Peaty (Great Britain)

Women

2008: Rebecca Adlington (Great Britain)
2009: Britta Steffen (Germany)
2010: Therese Alshammar (Sweden)
2011: Federica Pellegrini (Italy)
2012: Ranomi Kromowidjojo (Netherlands)
2013: Katinka Hosszu (Hungary)
2014: Katinka Hosszu (Hungary)
2015: Katinka Hosszu (Hungary)
2016: Katinka Hosszu (Hungary)
2017: Sarah Sjostrom (Sweden)
2018: Sarah Sjostrom (Sweden)
2019: Sarah Sjostrom (Sweden)
2021: Sarah Sjostrom (Sweden)

Diving

Men

2008: Dmitry Sautin (Russia)
2009: Tom Daley (Great Britain)
2010: Illya Kvasha (Ukraine)
2011: Sascha Klein (Germany)
2012: Ilya Zakharov (Russia)
2013: Patrick Hausding (Germany)
2014: Patrick Hausding (Germany)
2015: Tom Daley (Great Britain)
2016: Jack Laugher (Great Britain)
2017: Tom Daley (Great Britain)
2018: Jack Laugher (Great Britain)
2019: Aleksandar Bondar (Russia)
2021: Tom Daley (Great Britain)

Women

2008: Yulia Pakhalina (Russia)
2009: Tania Cagnotto (Italy)
2010: Christin Steuer (Germany)
2011: Tania Cagnotto (Italy)
2012: Tania Cagnotto (Italy)
2013: Tania Cagnotto (Italy)
2014: Tania Cagnotto (Italy)
2015: Tania Cagnotto (Italy)
2016: Tania Cagnotto (Italy)
2017: Nadezhda Bazina (Russia)
2018: Celine van Duijn (Netherlands)
2019: Ekaterina Beliaeva (Russia)
2021: Tina Punzel (Germany)

Artistic Swimming

Men

2017: Giorgio Minisini (Italy)
2018: Giorgio Minisini (Italy)
2019: Aleksandr Maltsev (Russia)
2021: Aleksandr Maltsev (Russia)

Women

2008: Anastasia Davydova, Anastasia Ermakova (Russia)
2009: Natalia Ishchenko (Russia)
2010: Natalia Ishchenko (Russia)
2011: Natalia Ishchenko, Svetlana Romashina (Russia)
2012: Natalia Ishchenko (Russia)
2013: Svetlana Romashina (Russia)
2014: Ona Carbonell (Spain)
2015: Svetlana Romashina (Russia)
2016: Natalia Ishchenko (Russia)
2017: Svetlana Kolesnichenko (Russia)
2018: Svetlana Kolesnichenko (Russia)
2019: Ona Carbonell (Spain)
2021: Svetlana Kolesnichenko (Russia)

Open Water

Men

2008: Maarten van der Weijden (Netherlands)
2009: Thomas Lurz (Germany)
2010: Valerio Cleri (Italy)
2011: Thomas Lurz (Germany)
2012: Thomas Lurz (Germany)
2013: Thomas Lurz (Germany)
2014: Thomas Lurz (Germany)
2015: Ferry Weertman (Netherlands)
2016: Ferry Weertman (Netherlands)
2017: Marc-Antoine Olivier (France)
2018: Kristof Rasovszky (Hungary)
2019: Kristof Rasovszky (Hungary)
2021: Florian Wellbrock (Germany)

Women

2008: Larisa Ilchenko (Russia)
2009: Angela Maurer (Germany)
2010: Linsy Heister (Netherlands)
2011: Keri-Anne Payne (Great Britain)
2012: Eva Risztov (Hungary)
2013: Martina Grimaldi (Italy)
2014: Sharon van Rouwendaal (Netherlands)
2015: Aurelie Muller (France)
2016: Sharon van Rouwendaal (Netherlands)
2017: Aurelie Muller (France)
2018: Sharon van Rouwendaal (Netherlands)
2019: Rachele Bruni (Italy)
2021: Sharon van Rouwendaal (Netherlands)

Water Polo

Men

2008: Peter Biros (Hungary)
2009: Filip Filipovic (Serbia)
2010: Vanja Udovicic (Serbia)
2011: Stefano Tempesti (Italy)
2012: Miho Boskovic (Croatia)
2013: Denes Varga (Hungary)
2014: Filip Filipovic (Serbia)
2015: Dusko Pijetlovic (Serbia)
2016: Filip Filipovic (Serbia)
2017: Marko Bijac (Croatia)
2018: Filip Filipovic (Serbia)
2019: Francesco di Fulvio (Italy)
2021: Filip Filipovic (Serbia)

Women

2008: Danielle De Bruijn (Netherlands)
2009: Iefke van Belkum (Netherlands)
2010: Sofia Konukh (Russia)
2011: Alexandra Asimaki (Greece)
2012: Anni Espar (Spain)
2013: Jennifer Pareja (Spain)
2014: Maria Garcia (Spain)
2015: Roberta Bianconi (Italy)
2016: Roberta Bianconi (Italy)
2017: Laura Ester (Spain)
2018: Sabrina van der Sloot (Netherlands)
2019: Laura Ester (Spain)
2021: Beatriz Ortiz (Spain)