Courtesy of Interieur Sport – La Chica Del Rio (Aurélie Muller) Canal +

France’s Aurélie Muller was named Swimming World Magazine’s 2017 Open Water Female Swimmer of the Year for her performances in Hungary’s Lake Balaton at the 2017 FINA World Swimming Championships: silver in the 5 km race, gold in the 10 km race, gold in the 5 km team relay, and 8th in the 25 km race. She also competed on the FINA/HOSA 10K Marathon Swimming World Cup and the FINA Open Water Swimming Grand Prix circuits [see documentary above].

Muller was also nominated for the 2017 World Open Water Swimming Woman of the Year.

Her WOWSA Award nomination reads, Aurélie Muller resurrected her career after the ultimate disappointment at being disqualified on the last stroke of the Olympic 10K Marathon Swim to lose a medal. Her recovery was tremendous as she won the 10 km FINA World Championship title in Hungary. But that was not all. At the FINA World Championships, the 27-year-old also earned a silver medal in the 5 km, took a gold in the 5 km team event, and finished 8th in the 25 km race. She also won the greatest prize money due to her victory the FINA 10K Marathon Swimming World Cup in Abu Dhabi and finished 3rd in the 57 km Maratón Acuática Internacional Santa Fe – Coronda in Argentina. For becoming the 10 km world champion after her Olympic disappointment viewed on television by millions, for never giving up on herself and swimming so strongly throughout the year from a 1.25 km sprint to a 57 km marathon, for speaking eloquently about the sport and her comeback, Aurélie Muller is a worthy nominee for the 2017 World Open Water Swimming Woman of the Year.

To register and vote on the WOWSA Awards, visit here.

Ferry Weertman of the Netherlands was named Swimming World Magazine’s 2017 Open Water Male Swimmer of the Year.

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