Courtesy of WOWSA, Huntington Beach, California.
The official results of the global World Open Water Swimming Woman of the Year poll, won by Poliana Okimoto of Brazil for her successful and consistent record as a professional marathon swimmer on the FINA World Cup circuit, were tabulated and confirmed – and are shown below.
With 21,275 online votes cast by fans from over 150 countries around the globe, Okimoto overwhelmingly won the online poll:
1. Poliana Okimoto: 15,555 votes
2. Lisa Cummins: 1,231 votes
3. Mighty Mermaids: 1,125 votes
4. Angela Maurer: 858 votes
5. Natalie du Toit: 682 votes
6. Penny Palfrey: 598 votes
7. Sally Minty-Gravett: 575 votes
8. Keri-Anne Payne: 304 votes
9. Marcia Cleveland: 191 votes
10. Melissa Gorman: 158 votes
The World Open Water Swimming Woman of the Year Award is meant to honor the woman who (1) best embodies the spirit of open water swimming, (2) possesses the sense of adventure, tenacity and perseverance that open water swimmers are known for, and (3) has most positively influenced the world of open water swimming in 2009.
And Okimoto certainly demonstrated those traits.
Copyright © 2010 by World Open Water Swimming Association