Swimming

2022 Swammy Awards: South American Male Swimmer of the Year – Nicholas Santos

December 23, 2022

To see all of our 2022 Swammy Awards, click here.

2022 SOUTH AMERICAN MALE SWIMMER OF THE YEAR – NICHOLAS SANTOS, BRAZIL

There is no one more deserving of South American Male Swimmer of the Year than Nicholas Santos. Now 42 years old, Santos has pushed the limits of what we thought to be possible in this sport perhaps more than anyone, at least within the context of age. Truthfully, as someone whose job is to report on swimming, there are few storylines in the last few years that have been as compelling to me as Nicholas Santos continuing to demonstrate dominance in the men’s sprint fly events even as he reached his forties.

It’s mind-boggling that the Santos was able to go out on top at the age of 42, but that’s exactly what he’s just done. Santos traveled to Melbourne last week for the 2022 SC World Championships, his last meet of his competitive swimming career. He didn’t look amazing through the first two phases of the men’s 50 fly in Melbourne, finishing 14th in prelims then fourth in semifinals. Santos was able to muster one last incredible swim in finals, however, overwhelming the rest of the field with a 21.76 for gold and a new Championship Record.

That gold medal marked Santos’ fourth SC Worlds gold in the 50 fly and his third consecutive SC World title. It was also his sixth SC Worlds gold of his career and his 12th total SC World Champs medal. Santos first won gold in the men’s 50 fly at SC Worlds back in Istanbul in 2012, a decade ago. He notably also shares the World Record in the men’s SC 50 fly at 21.75, a mark which he set in 2018.

Although we’re focusing on Santos ending his career with a World Champs gold and a Championship Record, he swam phenomenally well all season. Having turned 42 in January, Santos was actually the top swimmer in the world in the men’s LC 50 fly for a long period of time this year. He then went to the LC World Champs in Budapest in June, where he won silver in the men’s 50 fly. While Santos never won an LC World Champs gold in his career, his silver in June marked his fourth consecutive medal in the event at LC Worlds.

This award marks the third time Santos has won the South American Male Swimmer of the Year Swammy. He previously won the award in 2018 and 2020. Additionally, Santos is now tied with fellow Brazilian Bruno Fratus for the most South American Male Swimmer of the Year Swammy awards. Both men have earned the award three times, with Fratus winning in 2017, 2019, and 2021, and Santos 2018, 2020, and 2022. One other note of interest: a non-Brazilian swimmer has not yet won the South American Male Swimmer of the Year Swammy.

HONORABLE MENTION

Guilherme Costa, Brazil – Just when it had started to seem like Guilherme Costa might began tapering off on his improvement, the Brazilian distance ace brought his swimming to another level. At the LC World Championships in June, Costa became the first South American to ever win an LC 400 free at any major international meet since 1928. He won bronze in Budapest, swimming a new South American Record of 3:43.31. Costa then finished fifth in the men’s 800 free in Budapest, breaking the South American Record with a 7:45.58, also becoming the first South American to qualify for a World Champs final in the event. He then concluded his LC Worlds by smashing the 1500 free South American Record, swimming a 14:48.53 for a sixth-place finish. Costa then broke the South American Records in the SC men’s 800 and 1500 free at the Jose Finkel Trophy in September.