By Sophie Kaufman on SwimSwam
See all of our 2024 Swammy Awards here.
19.90.
Jordan Crooks’s world record in the short-course meters 50 freestyle is justification enough for him to win the 2024 Swammy for Caribbean/Central American Male Swimmer of the Year, though he’s had a strong year outside that singular splash-and-dash.
Caeleb Dressel famously donned a 2008-era Speedo Fastskin LZR bodysuit to chase the mark in December 2020. But after a hard week of 70k workouts, Dressel came up short, hitting 20.4 three times.
Before cracking 20 seconds, Crooks fired off a warning shot in the heats, breaking Dressel’s 20.16 world record with a 20.08. Thirty world records were broken over the six days in Budapest, and the novelty of seeing a world record began to wear off towards the end of the meet. But Crooks shocked the world and brought the Duna Arena crowd to their feet in the semifinal as he became the first man to swim sub-20 seconds in the event.
Courtesy: World Aquatics
Crooks often swims his fastest time in a championship in the heats or semifinals, and he followed that pattern in the 50 freestyle. His 20.19 in the final still earned him gold by .38 seconds as he defended his title from the 2022 Short Course World Championships, where he first broke out on the international stage.
Jack Alexy and his Tennessee training partner Gui Santos. In the heats of the 100 freestyle, Crooks lowered the championship record Alexy had set leading off the men’s 4×100 freestyle relay for the United States. Crooks clocked 44.95, scaring Kyle Chalmers’ 44.84 world record.
The highlight of Crooks’ year on the international stage came at the 2024 Short Course World Championships, but he had a strong outing at his debut Olympic Games in Paris as well. He lowered his national record by over two-tenths in the heats with a 21.51. He eventually qualified for the Olympic final, becoming the first Caymanian to do so in any event, where he took eighth in 21.64. Crooks also made the semifinals in the men’s 100 freestyle, finishing 13th (48.10).
Honorable Mentions:
Mikel Schreuders, Aruba: Mikel Schreuders made his third Olympic appearance in 2024. Schreuders is a Missouri alum, and when he officially qualified for Paris in June, he became the Tigers’ first three-time Olympic swimmer. Schreuders raced the 50 and 100 freestyle at the Games, finishing 26th in both, clocking 22.14/48.84. He was back in the water quickly after the Games, competing on the entire World Cup circuit, then racing at the 2024 Short Course World Championships, where he swam lifetime bests in the 50 freestyle (21.60) and 50 breaststroke (26.36), setting Aruban records in both events. The 50 breaststroke was his highest finish in Budapest, as he touched 22nd overall. He also logged a season-best 100 freestyle (47.47) for 30th. Lamar Taylor, Bahamas: After finishing 26th in the 100 freestyle at the Olympic Games with a personal best and Bahamian record of 48.84, NCAA DII champion Lamar Taylor headed to the University of Tennessee for his fifth year of collegiate swimming. Taylor joined a deep sprint group in Knoxville that includes Crooks and Santos. It’s early, but the move paid dividends for Taylor at the 2024 Short Course World Championships. There, He swam lifetime bests and national records in the 100 freestyle, 50 backstroke, and 50 butterfly. Taylor qualified for the semifinals in the men’s 100 freestyle, where he swam 46.34 for a 13th-place finish. For his other national record swims in Budapest, Taylor clocked 23.51 in the 50 backstroke and 23.24 in the 50 butterfly. Dylan Carter, Trinidad & Tobago: Dylan Carter may not have had the year that he was hoping for on the international swimming stage, but he was still one of the strongest swimmers from the Caribbean and Central American countries this year. Carter finished 28th in the 50 freestyle (22.18) and 34th in the 100 freestyle (49.35) at the Olympic Games. Like Schreuders, he was back in competition quickly after the Games, returning to the short-course meters pool where he really shines. After competing at the World Cup, Carter raced in Budapest, where he finished ninth in the 50 freestyle (20.82) and 50 butterfly (22.16). He also qualified for the semifinals in the 100 freestyle (46.63) but withdrew.PREVIOUS WINNERS:
2023 — Dylan Carter, Trinidad & Tobago 2022 – Jordan Crooks, Cayman Islands 2021 – Dylan Carter, Trinidad & Tobago 2020 – Dylan Carter, Trinidad & Tobago 2019 – Ricardo Vargas, Mexico 2018 – Dylan Carter, Trinidad & Tobago 2017 – Mauro Castillo-Luna, Mexico 2016 – Marcelo Acosta, El Salvador 2015 – (Vacant — combined South American and CAC Award, Thiago Pereira of Brazil won) 2014 – George Bovell, Trinidad & TobagoRead the full story on SwimSwam: 2024 Swammy Awards: CAC Male Swimmer of the Year — Jordan Crooks
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