Poppy Maskill's incredible year saw her named Aquatics GB's Champion Athlete for 2024 as a stunning season of aquatics achievements in Paris and beyond was celebrated at The Aquatics GB Awards in London on Saturday night.
Maskill was Britain's most decorated athlete at this summer's Paralympic Games in Paris, winning three gold medals and two silvers, as well as smashing the Women's S14 100m Butterfly world record - and those successes saw her named the Para-Swimming Athlete of the Year, two years on from claiming the Emerging Athlete of the Year prize. She then returned to the stage to collect the Maurice Watkins Champion Athlete Award, testament to a stunning year for an incredible swimmer.
Poppy was handed the trophy by teammate Maisie Summers-Newton, the Champion Athlete for 2023 - and she joins Tom Dean, Alice Tai, Adam Peaty, Jack Laugher and Tom Daley as a winner of that coveted prize.
"It's such a big honour, I never thought I'd win this award, there are so many big names on this trophy - so to be on there is very cool and I'm really happy about it," she said.
"I definitely think Maisie is a very big role model for me, she's such a lovely person and such a good swimmer, and I really look up to her.
"The 100m Butterfly is definitely one of my highlights from the Games, because it was my first race, my first ever world record, my first Paralympic gold medal - but also being the flagbearer at the Closing Ceremony was amazing as well, because it's not ever something I thought I'd get to do and I did!"
Noah Williams enjoyed a memorable time in Paris as well, becoming only the third British diver in history to win two medals at one Olympic Games as he won Men's 10m Synchro silver with Tom Daley and then followed it up with bronze in the Men's 10m Platform event - and he duly became Diving Athlete of the Year for the first time here at the Aquatics GB Awards.
"I'm way too busy, so I don't think it's all sunk in yet, not yet! I'm kind of postponing reviewing the year, even though it was a good year, I like keeping busy - but I'm sure I'll take some time to do that soon," he said.
"It's so nice here at the Awards. Everyone is enjoying themselves, and whether you've had a tough competition or a great competition this year, everyone is just celebrating together so it's the best feeling out there."
There was a joint win in the Swimming Athlete of the Year category, as Matt Richards and Duncan Scott were both crowned after an Olympic summer that saw them combine with Tom Dean, James Guy, Kieran Bird and Jack McMillan for Men's 4x200m Freestyle Relay glory - the first time that a British relay team have defended an Olympic final. Richards was also 0.02 seconds off gold in the individual event as he won Men's 200m Freestyle silver, while Scott's eighth Olympic medal of his career - putting him third in the all-time Team GB list - was won with Men's 200m Individual Medley silver.
"It's been a long year. We got back in the water in August 2023 to get ready for this year - it wasn't perfect, there were a lot of hurdles and challenges along the way, but I've had a fantastic team around me, from the people I train with to my coaching staff and my family, the people I have to support me are what has helped navigate all the things this year, and we were able to come away with a fantastic result in the summer - far from perfect, and there's still plenty to improve on, primarily 0.03s in that 200m Freestyle. But we're still building, still learning and hopefully we can build on the momentum into the next four-year cycle," said Richards.
And as for reflections on the quick turnaround between his busy Olympic involvement and his wedding to fellow swimmer Emily Richards [nee Large], he added: "I'm more used to standing behind the blocks these days, I'd never stood at the end of the aisle before, and Emily was 15 minutes late to walk down the aisle, so she kept me waiting! So I'd probably say I was more nervous for the wedding than the Olympic finals, as weird as that may sound!"
In a year of history, Kate Shortman and Izzy Thorpe became Artistic Swimming Athletes of the Year again, after claiming Britain's first-ever Olympic and World Championship medals in the duet events over a packed six months, while Kathy Rogers and Sophie Jackson were both named Water Polo Athlete of the Year in a season that saw them play crucial roles as Aquatics GB's women's water polo team returned to the World Championship stage for the first time in more than a decade after a superb European campaign at the start of 2024.
"It's crazy, just to be here is really nice and see everyone again, and just to relive that moment, seeing it on the screen, it really brings back so many emotions, so it's really nice to have everyone here celebrating," said Izzy.
In the Coach of the Year categories, David Heathcock was rewarded for guiding Alice Tai to five Paralympic medals - including two golds - at her second Games this summer by being named Para-Swimming Coach of the Year, while Jane Figueiredo received the diving prize after all three of her Olympic athletes reached the podium in Paris - including Noah's double-medal success, and a historic bronze for Scarlett Mew Jensen, alongside Yasmin Harper, in the Women's 3m Synchro.
Steven Tigg saw seven of his University of Stirling swimmers to the Olympics, with Duncan Scott coming away as Olympic champion again and Jack McMillan securing his maiden gold at a Games - and Tigg was duly named Swimming Coach of the Year.
The stunning artistic swimming achievements of Shortman and Thorpe saw Yumiko Tomomatsu recognised as Artistic Swimming Coach of the Year, with Isobel Howe's guidance of the Women's Under-19 water polo team in a successful campaign securing her the water polo award.
Celebrating the stars of the future, the Emerging Athlete of the Year awards opened the night. Will Ellard - a two-time Paralympic champion on his Games debut, with a world record thrown in for good measure - joined an illustrious list of winners in the Para-Swimming Emerging Athlete Award, with Amelie Blocksidge taking home the Swimming Emerging Athlete prize after a season that saw her claim three European Junior titles.
Maisie Bond, meanwhile, built up to her upcoming appearance at the World Junior Diving Championships by taking home the Diving Emerging Athlete of the Year award.
There was also the introduction of the inaugural Contribution to Social Impact Award, which went to Paralympic champion Brock Whiston, as recognition for the positive difference she is making away from the elite performance arena, delivering disability swimming classes in her community, as well as supporting inclusive swimming sessions at the Speedo Aquatics GB Swimming Championships in April.
"For me, just to help people with disability in everyday life is what it's about. Sport has had a massive impact in me being who I am today - doctors said that if it wasn't for me swimming, I wouldn't be in the position I am in now with what I can do. It's just so people feel like they belong somewhere, and for me, in the water is somewhere where I really feel like I belong. So I want everyone to feel like they have that safe place and somewhere they can be them."
Aquatics GB Awards 2024 winners
Poppy Maskill - Maurice Watkins Champion Athlete
Poppy Maskill - Para-Swimming Athlete of the Year
Matt Richards & Duncan Scott - Swimming Athlete of the Year
Noah Williams - Diving Athlete of the Year
Kate Shortman & Izzy Thorpe - Artistic Swimming Athlete of the Year
Kathy Rogers & Sophie Jackson - Water Polo Athlete of the Year
David Heathcock - Para-Swimming Coach of the Year
Steven Tigg - Swimming Coach of the Year
Jane Figueiredo - Diving Coach of the Year
Yumiko Tomomatsu - Artistic Swimming Coach of the Year
Isobel Howe - Water Polo Coach of the Year
William Ellard - Para-Swimming Emerging Athlete of the Year
Amelie Blocksidge - Swimming Emerging Athlete of the Year
Maisie Bond - Diving Emerging Athlete of the Year
Brock Whiston - Contribution to Social Impact