Women's American Swimmer of the Year

Top 3 Finishers
Jenny Thompson
Brooke Bennet
Kristy Kowal

For the first time in 18 years, Mary T. Meagher no longer holds the world record in the 100 meter butterfly. That honor now goes to 25-year-old Jenny Thompson, who clocked 57.88 at the Pan Pacific Championships in Sydney and was named the female swimmer of the meet. Jenny was only eight years old—the year she first started swimming—when Meagher set that seemingly untouchable standard of 57.93. But in the last three years, Thompson has inched progressively closer. You might be surprised, but Jenny has more of the top 10 performances in the event than Mary T.—four to one. The mere fact that Thompson beat out a legend would have been reason enough to be named Swimming World's female American Swimmer of the Year for the second straight year and third time in her career (she was also chosen in 1993). But the Stanford Swimming champion offered much more. She also ranked No. 1 in the world in the 100 free with a 54.66, her fastest time since 1992 when she set what was then the world record (54.48). During the last 12 months, Jenny also set an American record in the 100 yard fly and was a member of the U.S. record-setting 800 meter freestyle relay. In short course meters, she set world records in the 50 fly, 100 fly and 100 IM and added American marks in the 50 and 100 free.