The Swimmer of the Year shall hold the Trophy for a period of one year subject to the Association’s conditions. The swimmer(s) will receive a personal memento recording the award.
The following are the criteria to be used to select the Warwickshire Swimmer of the Year:
- The award is to reflect the achievement of an individual competing in any discipline at the highest possible level in open competition that would add distinction and recognition to the name of the nominee, their club and the Association.
- The award shall be made to a nominee who was a member of a club affiliated to the Association from the beginning of the year under review and has not represented another county in the same year. Where possible the nominee would be expected, if called upon, to be available for Association representative competition and/or participation in the Association’s Annual Individual Championships. (“Where possible” refers to an international or other athlete whose training or other commitments sometimes prevents them competing for the Association.)
- Any Officer, Executive Member, or club shall be eligible to make a nomination. The name, together with the details supporting the nomination, must be forwarded to the Swimming Secretary by 31st October for the swimming year ended 30th September.
- The Chairman shall appoint, in early November each year, a panel of not less than three and up to five people to consider any nominations submitted to or made by them using the laid down criteria for the selection. The panel shall include at least one person with expertise in the discipline/disciplines of the nominees. The name of the recommended nominee shall be presented to the Executive, for their approval, at the December meeting.
- If in the opinion of the Executive there is no outstanding nominee in a year the award shall not be made for that year.
- When, exceptionally, 2 or more nominees have an equally strong claim the Executive may decide to make the award jointly.
- Presentation of the award – The presentation of the trophy and an award of £100 shall be made to the successful nominee at a session of the following Warwickshire Swimming Championships or on a date and at a venue of their choice.
Swimmer of the year
(all disciplines from 2006)
1963 Robert Lord 1964 Robert Lord
1965 Robert Lord 1966 Janice Lawson
1967 Sheena Grant 1968 Sheena Grant
1969 Steven Sawkings 1970 Jackie Thompson
1971 Martin Edwards 1972 Martin Edwards
1973 Martin Edwards 1974 Dean Smith
1975 David Parker 1976 Debbie Rudd
1977 Debbie Rudd 1978 Kim Wilkinson
1979 Gareth Sykes 1980 Maxine Charles
1981 Gareth Sykes 1982 Paul Easter
1983 Paul Howe 1984 Joanne Seymour
1985 Not presented 1986 Nicola Kennedy
1987 Ruth Knight 1988 Joanna Coull
1989 David Parker 1990 Caroline Piggot
1991 Blayne Hughes 1992 Sukie Brownsdon
1993 Marie Hardiman 1994 Marie Hardiman
1995 Adam Ruckwood 1996 Jo Deakins
1997 Adam Ruckwood 1998 Adam Whitehead/ Georgina Lee
1999 Not presented 2000 Georgina Lee
2001 Georgina Lee 2002 Adam Whitehead
2003 Grace Callaghan 2004 Georgina Lee
2005 Not presented 2006 Judy Wilson (M)
2007 Elizabeth Smith (Sy) 2008 Eleanor Simmonds (P)
2009 Not presented 2010 Not presented
2011 Tully Kearney (P) 2012 Yvette Baker (Sy)
2013 Paul Bates (M) 2014 Jake Vincent (WP)
2015 Tully Kearney (P) 2016 Eleanor Simmons (P)
2017 Kathryn Fowler (WP)
After a winner’s name:
(M) denotes a Masters swimmer, (Sy) a Snchro swimmer
(WP) Water Polo and (P) a Para Swimmer, all others are speed swimmers
Tully Kearney – Boldmere Swimming Club
Tully Kearney has a progressive neurological condition that causes advanced weakening of the muscles and painful contractions, as well as having joint hypermobility, which can result in dislocations. Despite her limited independent mobility Tully began swimming at the age of nine, deciding to take up swimming competitively after being inspired by Ellie Simmonds when she displayed her Paralympic medals at a school assembly (they attended the same school). Tully followed in Ellie’s footsteps and joined Boldmere Swimming Club and was subsequently classified as a S10 and SB9 swimmer; at the age of 14 she was competing nationally in youth competitions winning gold in seven events at the DSE (Disability Sports Events) Championships in Sheffield.
In 2015 Tully was selected to represent Great Britain at the 2015 IPC Swimming World Championships Glasgow.
Due to her progressive illness, Tully was reclassified as a S9 swimmer in her butterfly, freestyle and medley events. Qualifying to enter seven events.
Tully brought home six medals in total:
Gold in the medley relay,
100m butterfly (S9) with a European record breaking time of 1:09.04,
200m individual medley (SM9) with a European record breaking time of 2:31.08,
400m freestyle (S9) where Tully also set a new European record with a time of 4:39.29.
Silver in the 100m backstroke S9, behind a world record breaking swim by Australia’s Ellie Cole,
and
Bronze in the 4x100m freestyle relay.
Tully Kearney enjoyed a breakthrough season in 2015 by not only securing her position on the World Championships team but also returning as the most decorated swimmer.
Tully is an exceptional elite athlete and Warwickshire is delighted that she has been included in Great Britain’s main performance squad for the final build-up to Rio 2016 Paralympics. Tully was previously on the ‘podium potential’ programme, but has moved up to the main ‘podium’ group of athletes. She joins the likes of fellow Aldridge pool star Ellie Simmonds, and will receive direct support from UK Sport through the World Class Performance Programme. Nationality