Sharon van Rouwendaal & Kristóf Rasovszky Named Top Open Water Swimmers In European Aquatics Awards
Sharon van Rouwendaal and Kristóf Rasovszky have been named top open water swimmers of 2024 at the European Aquatics Athlete of the Year awards.
Van Rouwendaal won the award for the sixth time after becoming the first open water swimmer – male or female – to win two Olympic 10k titles when she claimed gold at Paris 2024.
The Netherlands swimmer, who began her year by winning the world 5km and 10km titles in Doha, finished 5.5sec clear in 2hr 03min 34.2sec, adding a second Olympic title to the one she claimed at Rio 2016.
Sharon Van Rouwendaal: Photo Courtesy: Giorgio Scala / Deepbluemedia
Having won silver at Tokyo 2020, Van Rouwendaal also became the first athlete to claim three Olympic medals in women’s open water swimming.
The 31-year-old claimed a 48.22 per cent share of the total vote, having earned 55.81 per cent of federation votes and 30.51 per cent of the public vote.
Ginevra Taddeucci, who followed up 5k and team silver at the European Championships in Belgrade with bronze in Paris, was second with a total share of 19.51 per cent, comprising 16.28 per cent of the federation votes and 27.05 per cent of the public votes.
Leonie Beck won the 5/10k double in Belgrade and she finished third in the standings with a total percentage share of 16.93 after getting 16.28 per cent of federation votes and 18.48 per cent of the public vote.
Rasovszky Recognised After Olympic And World Glory
Rasovszky won the world and Olympic titles as he underlined Europe’s dominance in men’s open water.
The 27-year-old Hungarian known as the “Balaton Shark” – after the name of his swimming club – won 10k gold and team bronze at the World Championships in Doha, upgrading silver at Fukuoka 2023.
And while he missed out on an individual medal in Belgrade, Rasovszky helped Hungary to gold in the mixed team event before arriving in the French capital weeks later.
David Betlehem & Kristof Rasovszky: Photo Courtesy: Giorgio Scala / Deepbluemedia
He clocked 1:50.52.7 to add 10km gold to the silver he won three years earlier in Tokyo with teammate David Betlehem making it a Hungary 1-3 and Germany’s silver medallist Oliver Klemet ensuring an all-European podium.
Rasovszky achieved a total of 38.19 per cent of the total vote, comprising 41.86 per cent of national federation votes and 29.64 per cent of the public vote.
Domenico Acerenza won 5k bronze and team silver with Italy in Doha and was just 0.6secs off a medal in Paris. A 26.41 per cent share of the public vote helped him take second place with a total percentage of 19.32 per cent, having also gained 16.28 per cent of federation votes.
Third place went to Betlehem, who claimed medals in all major competitions in 2024.
He began his year in Doha helping Hungary earn bronze in the mixed team competition.
The 21-year-old went on to win 5k gold as well as 10k bronze in Belgrade and was part of the quartet who won the mixed team event.
Betlehem then went on to clinch bronze in the River Seine weeks later.
Klemet was fourth in the standings.
