Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps wins 4th Golden Goggle award

PanARMENIAN.Net - Michael Phelps (Baltimore, Md.) and Missy Franklin (Centennial, Colo.) took home top honors Monday, November 19 night at the ninth-annual USA Swimming Golden Goggle Awards. Phelps and Franklin earned the Male and Female Athlete of the Year award at the star-studded gala, held at the New York Marriott Marquis, USA Swimming reported.

This year’s event, hosted by Bob Costas of NBC Sports, celebrated the accomplishments of the 2012 U.S. Olympic Swim Team. Team USA dominated the competition in London, earning 31 medals – 16 gold, 9 silver and 6 bronze, nearly 30 percent of the total medals earned by all American Olympians in London.

Phelps’ award for Male Athlete of the Year came in the wake of his historic performance in London this summer. Phelps capped his career by becoming the most decorated Olympian in history. His six medals in London catapulted his career Olympic medals to 22, 18 of which are gold.

Franklin took home two awards, winning the award for Female Athlete of the Year and Relay Performance of the Year as part of the women’s 4x100m medley relay team. At the 2012 Olympics, Franklin earned a total of five medals (four gold medals and one bronze). She won gold and set world records in the 4x100m medley and 200m back. She also earned gold in the 100m back and a bronze medal in the 4x100m free relay.