British Swimming enjoyed its best-ever performance at an International Swimming Federation (FINA) World Championships with success coming in both diving and in the pool at Kazan 2015, while the Para-swimming team secured a total of 32 medals, including 10 gold at last month's International Paralympic Committee (IPC) World Championships in Glasgow.

Three athletes each from diving, swimming and Para-swimming have been nominated for the Athlete of the Year Award with the outcome being determined by a public vote via the British Swimming website.

The annual vote will replace the British Olympic Association (BOA) Olympic Athlete of the Year Award and will feature as a way of celebrating the achievements of athletes throughout the year.

Making up the nine nominees are Tom Daley, Rebecca Gallantree, Jack Laugher, Jessica-Jane Applegate, Ollie Hynd, Tully Kearney, James Guy, Siobhan-Marie O’Connor and Adam Peaty.

Daley claimed mixed team diving gold alongside Gallantree at the FINA World Championships, where he also took bronze in the men’s 10 metres platform event.

Fellow diver Laugher finished third in both the men’s 3 metre springboard and 3m springboard synchronised events, while in swimming, Guy claimed gold medals in the men’s 200m freestyle and 4x200m freestyle, and a silver in the 400m freestyle.

O’Connor was a bronze medallist in the women's 200m medley and formed part of Britain’s gold medal-winning 4x100m mixed medley team along with Peaty, who also secured top honours in the men’s 50m breaststroke and 100m breaststroke. 

Para-swimmers Applegate, Hynd and Kearney shared a total of 12 medals between them at the IPC World Championships, including seven golds.

"This has been an exciting year for all of our sports as we witnessed success in both Kazan and Glasgow," said British Swimming chief executive David Sparkes.

"We won 10 gold with a total of 32 medals at the IPC Swimming World Championships and were delighted to see a number of new athletes taking the step up, which is exciting ahead of the Paralympic year.

"At the FINA World Championships we saw success in both diving and swimming with diving taking the lead in the first week with four medals and gold for Rebecca Gallantree and Tom Daley.

"In the swimming we built on the success from last year to progress further with five gold medals and two world records in a nine-medal haul.

"The swimmers showed great levels of confidence which is really pleasing to see.

"I welcome the public’s vote on our Athlete of the Year as we celebrate our achievements through 2015 ahead of the hard work beginning for 2016."

Voting is now online and you can select your Athlete of the Year by clicking here.

The winner is due to be announced at a British Swimming Awards dinner on October 3.

Other sport specific awards that will be given out include Coach of the Year and Emerging Star of the Year.

These athletes will be selected internally and will be announced at the same time as the Athlete of the Year.


Related stories
August 2015: Peaty wins 50m breaststroke to complete historic double at FINA World Aquatics Championships
August 2015: Briton Guy causes major shock to clinch maiden FINA World Aquatics Championships gold medal
July 2015: British duo Daley and Gallantree claim first-ever mixed team diving title at World Aquatics Championships
July 2015: Simmonds bounces back from freestyle disappointment with medley gold at IPC Swimming World Championships
July 2015: Glasgow ready to host IPC Swimming World Championships