A Commonwealth double gold medallist and Britain’s most successful swimmer at a single championship, Loughborough College student Fran Halsall has been nominated for two prestigious awards.
After twice claiming gold in the 50m freestyle and the 50m butterfly as well as silver in the 4x100m medley for Team England in the Glasgow games this summer as well as winning two golds, two silvers and one bronze at the European swimming championships in Budapest in 2010, the 24 year old has not only been named as a nominee for the 2014 Sunday Times and Sky Sports Sportswomen of the Year Award but she has also made the shortlist for the inaugural British Swimming Athlete of the Year Award.
Halsall, who studies Sport with Loughborough College, is joined on the nominee list for the British Swimming award by College alumnus Siobhan Marie O’Connor, who won gold, three silver and a bronze medal at the Games.
The new award comes in a year when British swimmers gave their best ever Commonwealth performance and claimed 11 gold medals and two world records before topping the medal table at the European Championships for the first time ever.
The World Championships in 2015 offer the chance of qualification for Rio and Halsall feels confident after the accomplishments of 2014. “Knowing … I’ve achieved that leaves me in a good position to be in two years out of the Olympics.”
Watch the Sunday Times and Sky Sports Sportswomen of the Year Awards 2014 live on Wednesday 19th November from 8pm on Sky Sports 1HD
Vote online for the British Swimming Athlete of the Year at: http://www.swimming.org/britishswimming/swimming/athlete-of-the-year/ The winner will be announced on 16 December.