Andrew Smilley
Andrew Smiley is a pool and open water swimmer from the Cayman Islands who was selected in a global online poll as the recipient of the 2009 World Open Water Swimming Performance of the Year Award. He is a member of the Para Five.
The 21-year-old from Grand Cayman is an avid open water swimmer and oft-awarded Special Olympics athlete who specializes in freestyle and open water swimming. He won the 2011 Special Olympics World Summer Games 1.5-kilometer open water swim in the Bay of Marathon in the Aegean Sea in Greece and will be featured on ESPN at the 2015 Special Olympics World Summer Games in Long Beach, California.
World Open Water Swimming Performance of the Year
Out of 9,144 votes cast by fans around the globe, 2,086 individuals voted for Smiley, slightly edging out the 2,004 voted cast for the Camlough Team of Ireland.
During that year, Smiley placed 106th in a field of 800 swimmers in the RCP Tiburon Mile where the Special Olympics athlete also placed third in the 19-29 age in the non-wetsuit division in the San Francisco Bay in his first ever cold-water experience.
Special Olympics CEO and Chairman Tim Shriver said on behalf of Smiley, "Far too often, our athletes, athletes with intellectual disabilities, are viewed for what they can't do. But Andrew is showing the world what he can do and we congratulate his effort for being selected as the Greatest Open Water Swim of 2009. Andrew's performance in the RCP Tiburon Mile is just one example of how Special Olympics athletes are accomplishing great things that many just dream to achieve."
The World Open Water Swimming Performance of the Year are meant to honor the swims that (1) best embody the spirit of open water swimming, (2) represent the sense of adventure, tenacity and perseverance that open water swimmers are known for, and (4) have most positively influenced the world of open water swimming each year.
Every year, hundreds of thousands of individuals of every age, ability, background attempt and complete open water swims in every conceivable body of water around the world. Every year is no different - and no swims could have been possible without the tremendous help of escort boat pilots and the watchful eyes of the swimmers' support crews, kayakers, race organizers and safety volunteers.
Special Olympics World Summer Games
Smilley won the 2011 Special Olympics World Summer Games 1.5 kilometer open water swim which was nominated for the 2011 World Open Water Swimming Performance of the Year:
External links
- Jonty Warneken Leads The Para V Charge
- 2020 WOWSA Awards – World Open Water Swimming Performance Of The Year Nominees
- WOWSA Awards – World Open Water Swimming Performance Of The Year
- The Legacy Of Eunice Kennedy Shriver In The Open Water
- Greatest Open Water Swimming Performance of the Year
- World Summer Games To Be Held In Los Angeles
- Jonty Warneken Encourages All To Go Beyond The Shore
- World Open Water Swimming Association
- What A Performance In The Open Water
- Alexandr Brylin, Grigori Prokopchuk's Diomedes Swim Is 2014 World Open Water Swimming Performance Of The Year
- ESPN To Feature Andrew Smiley
- Special Olympics World Summer Games Comes To LA
- World Open Water Swimming Association
- Open Water Swimming
- First Lady, Stevie Wonder To Attend World Summer Games
- TV Coverage, Packed Beaches In LA For Special Olympics
- Special Olympics World Summer Games Comes To LA
- World Open Water Swimming Association
- Open Water Swimming
- Anne McLindon Always Does Something Special
- Dedication Behind The Scenes, Out Of Camera Angle
- Kaiser Permanente Lending A Helping Hand
- Special Olympics Open Water Packs
- ESPN To Feature Andrew Smilley
- Reach Up Special Campaign Begins
- When People Said It Cannot Be Done
- Healthy Athletes, The Greatest Service Ever Done
- Anne McLindon Always Does Something Special
- It's No Wonder It's So Special
- First Lady And Stevie Wonder To Attend Special Olympics
- TV Coverage And Packed Beaches In LA
- Celebrating Special Olympics Athletes
- Special Olympics World Summer Games report
- Bruckner Chase To Head Safety At World Summer Games
- The Legacy Of Eunice Kennedy Shriver In The Special Olympics
- Aisling Beacom Tackling Swims Around The World
- Special Olympics Open Water Expands
- 2015 Los Angeles Special Olympics World Summer Games
- Kester Edwards Honored By An ESPY Award
- Margarita Llorens Bagur Wins 2016 World Open Water Swimming Performance of the Year
- WOWSA Winners Possess Sense Of Adventure
