Italian swimmer Ginevra Taddeucci concluded a spectacular 2025 season by claiming the overall World Cup title on home waters in Sardinia. With this, she cemented her status as one of the most consistent and formidable forces in open water swimming.

“I am very happy. It was the perfect close to the year because of all the work I’ve done throughout the season and also because it was the easiest conditions I could ever find myself in. So I’m glad that I got to win the overall, and this was the best year to do it for me, so I’m very happy,” she said. Although things turned sour when the European Aquatics announced a different “Best Women’s Open Water Swimming Athlete of 2025”: Hungary’s Bettina Fabian.

Taddeucci’s reaction? “Really? 4 World Championship medals, 3 European Championship medals,” she wrote in an Instagram story, displaying her disbelief. So, taking a look at both of their careers in 2025, it reveals a brighter picture.

The 28-year-old Italian swimmer’s 2025 season was a masterclass, as at the World Championships in Singapore, she was a runner-up in four separate events: the 10km, 5km, 3km knockout sprint, and the mixed team relay. Looking at her European Open Water Championships performances, she was crowned European champion in the 5km and added two more silver medals.

Now, taking a look at the 21-year-old Hungarian swimmer’s 2025 season, she also achieved a lot of accolades. Fabian earned bronze in the 3km knockout sprint at the World Championships in Singapore and a team relay bronze, significantly fewer individual world medals than Taddeucci.

However, her standout achievements were two gold medals at the European Championships in the 3km open water and the team relay.  The race to this European Aquatics was quite tough with the other nominees who also had a standout season.

All the swimming stars chosen as nominees were great in their own way

While the “Best Women’s Open Water Swimmer of 2025” award ultimately went to Hungary’s Bettina Fabian, with her securing 30.51% of the total vote, and Ginevra Taddeucci in second with 28.69%, the nomination pool highlighted three other elite athletes who also had outstanding seasons.

Monaco’s Lisa Pou enjoyed a landmark year, where she secured a bronze medal in the grueling 10km event at the World Championships and two gold medals at the Games of the Small States of Europe in 1500m freestyle and 400m medley.

Top Stories

‘It Stinks’: Jordan Spieth Accuses Friends of Unfair Treatment During ‘Sponsor Exemption’ Storm

Tiger Woods’ Lavish Gift for 300 Guests During 50th Birthday Bash Makes Jaws Drop: ‘Will be Worth a Lot One Day’

Tiger Woods’s GF Vanessa Trump and Daughter Kai Steal the Spotlight at His 50th Birthday Bash

Travis Kelce Announces New Career Move Away From Chiefs After Confirming Retirement Stance

PGA Tour Takes Mercy on Brooks Koepka After $85 Million Penalty Left Ex-LIV Pro Distressed

Illegal Fight Sparks Chaos at Chili Bowl Nationals Leaving Team Member Struggling to Breathe

Hungary’s Viktoria Mihalyvari-Farkas was also an elite force when it came to the World Championships (long course). She secured a bronze medal in the Team open water, while at the European Championships, she won not one, but two gold medals in 10km open water and the team relay.

Poland’s Klaudia Tarasiewicz, nominated for her circuit dominance, won three legs of the European Cup and a final leg of the World Aquatics Cup. These performances collectively underscore the incredible depth and competitive nature of European women’s open water swimming.