Imagine a swimmer bursting onto the scene like a comet, transforming the landscape of her sport with record-shattering performances and medal hauls that left fans and rivals alike in awe—Roos Vanotterdijk embodies that kind of breakout star power in 2025, and her journey is one you'll want to dive deep into. But here's where it gets controversial: Is her meteoric rise a testament to pure talent and coaching genius, or does it hint at the intense pressures of modern elite swimming that might burn out young athletes too soon? We'll explore that as we unpack her achievements in this year's Swammy Awards for Breakout Female Swimmer of the Year. Check out all our 2025 Swammy Awards right here for the full lineup.
Belgian swimming has been surging forward in recent times, and the numbers tell a compelling story: 28 national records smashed in 2023, 32 in 2024, and a whopping 48 in 2025. Leading this charge as our Breakout Female Swimmer of the Year is Roos Vanotterdijk, a name that's quickly becoming synonymous with Belgian excellence in the pool.
By late 2024, Vanotterdijk was already making waves for Belgium, holding four national records and securing the country's first European long-course championship title in the women's 100-meter butterfly since 1995. (For beginners, long-course meters, or LCM, refers to 50-meter pools used in major international events like the Olympics.) Her trajectory as a rising star began after grabbing five medals at the 2022 World Junior Championships, including breaking two Belgian records, signaling to the swimming world that she had untapped potential.
That potential seemed to fully blossom in 2024 with a pair of Olympic semi-finals in Paris, alongside her European crown in the 100 fly. She smashed the Belgian record in the 100 fly with a 57.25 for 10th place, then matched that position in the 100 backstroke, just 0.06 seconds shy of her personal best. It was a triumphant debut on the global stage, even if she didn't hit the absolute pinnacle.
Vanotterdijk didn't slow down after the Olympics; she embarked on an incredible run in late 2024 that set the stage for even bigger things in 2025. Over just four weeks in mid-October, she broke 12 Belgian records in short-course events (SCM, or short-course meters, in 25-meter pools often used for indoor meets), covering freestyle, backstroke, butterfly, and individual medleys. Notably, she hadn't touched the breaststroke records yet—but that changed dramatically a year later.
She launched 2025 with the same unstoppable energy, resetting her own long-course records in the 100 backstroke (58.97) and 50 backstroke (27.81). More personal bests followed in the 100 fly (57.05) and 200 individual medley (2:09.73, a stunning nearly four-second improvement), building momentum before her trio of major championships that year.
First up were the European Under-23 Championships, where Belgium snagged five medals—three gold—and finished fifth overall in the medal tally. As Belgium's sole medalist, Vanotterdijk outperformed all but Poland, Germany, Hungary, and Greece. Her five individual medals topped everyone else's by two, and her three golds were matched only by Austria's Luka Mladenovic.
That success propelled her to the World Championships in Singapore, her debut at the event. She exploded out of the gate, setting three Belgian records in just 36 hours in the 100 fly, slashing over a second off her previous best to claim silver in 55.84. This made her just the ninth woman ever under 56 seconds in the event, vaulting her 31 spots in the all-time rankings to eighth place.
She advanced to three more semi-finals, finishing 10th in the 100 backstroke, 11th in the 100 freestyle, and 11th in the 50 backstroke (with a new national record of 27.67 in the latter). In her last race, she elevated her game further, securing bronze in the 50 fly at 25.43 after a national record 25.32 in the semis. This made her Belgium's most decorated swimmer at a single Worlds, surpassing the nation's prior high of just one medal.
A robust World Cup circuit in the fall saw her add short-course Belgian records in the 100 fly, 50 backstroke, 100 IM, and 200 IM. Just two weeks later, at Belgian Championships, she completed her full set by breaking the 200 breaststroke mark in 2:18.07—a butterfly and backstroke specialist ranking 28th all-time in what many consider the toughest stroke to master due to its unique technique and endurance demands.
She capped off the year with two silver medals at the European Short Course Championships, each set in Belgian record times, though illness (laryngitis) likely cost her more podium spots. Despite that, she ended 2025 in the global top 10 across seven events—up from just one the previous year.
Here's a detailed look at Roos Vanotterdijk's top global rankings in 2025:
Event | 2024 Global Ranking | 2025 Global Ranking | All-time Ranking – December 2024 | All-time Ranking – December 2025
50 fly (LCM) | 32nd (26.08) | 3rd (25.32) | 65th (25.93) | 14th (25.32)
100 fly (LCM) | 18th (57.25) | 2nd (55.84) | 48th (57.25) | 8th (55.84)
50 fly (SCM) | 19th (25.32) | 4th (24.84) | 52nd (25.32) | 24th (24.84)
100 fly (SCM) | 41st (57.63) | 9th (55.64) | 187th (57.63) | 31st (55.64)
200 breast (SCM) | – | 5th (2:18.07) | – | 28th (2:18.07)
100 IM (SCM) | 10th (58.24) | 4th (56.80) | 34th (58.24) | 6th (56.80)
200 IM (SCM) | 146th (2:14.75) | 7th (2:05.81) | 200th+ (2:14.75) | 29th (2:05.81)
And this is the part most people miss: Her rise isn't just about personal glory; it highlights how versatile swimmers can dominate multiple events, challenging the notion that specialization is the only path to success. Looking ahead, she's poised to be a top contender at the European Championships and World Short Course Championships in 2026. With another year under the guidance of coaches Mark Faber and Louis Croenen, where she set an astonishing 24 national records, repeating her 2025 feats would feel almost modest.
But let's stir the pot a bit—some might argue that her record-breaking spree raises questions about athlete welfare, like whether the relentless training schedule could lead to burnout or health issues down the line. Is this the new normal in swimming, or a risky gamble? We'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments.
Honorable Mentions:
Alexandria Perkins: Perkins evolved from an Olympic semi-finalist and solid relay contributor to one of Australia's elite performers this year. After placing 14th in the 100 fly in Paris, she shaved over a second off her time, hitting 56.19 in the semis and 56.33 for bronze at Worlds. She kept the momentum going on the World Cup circuit, shattering Oceanian records in the 50 fly (24.63) and 100 fly (54.93), becoming the eighth woman under 55 seconds in the latter. Not stopping there, she excelled in freestyle too, posting 24.70/53.53 to podium at Australian trials in June, and clocking 23.45 in the 50 free short course to reach third among Australian women all-time.
Lani Pallister: Calling a multi-time relay world champion and 2022 long-course individual medalist a 'breakout' might sound odd, but Pallister's case is undeniable. She dazzled at Australian Trials with times of 3:59 in the 800 free, 8:10 in the 1500 free, and 15:39 in the 400 free, placing her sixth, third, and third respectively in Australian history. That 800 free final in Singapore was a game-changer, pushing Katie Ledecky harder than we've seen in years. Pallister's five-second drop to 8:05.98 foreshadowed her short-course dominance, where she nailed 3:51.87 in the 400 free for third all-time, then obliterated Ledecky's 800 free world record by over three seconds with 7:54.00—the second time a Ledecky record has fallen to someone else. Their upcoming rematch at Pan Pacs promises fireworks.
Daria Klepikova: Klepikova secured fifth in both the 100 fly and 100 free at Worlds, anchoring medal-winning relays for NAB. She climbed from 20th globally last year to ninth in the 100 free, but her 100 fly leap was spectacular—jumping 38 spots to sixth after her 56.42 semi-final swim. She set national records in both events, becoming the first Russian woman under 53 seconds in the 100 free (52.98), proving she's a force to reckon with. Her splits (52.4 in free and 55.9s in fly) show she rises to big occasions, making her a threat for 2026.
Milou van Wijk: The latest in the line of Dutch sprint freestyle talents, van Wijk went from missing the 2024 Olympic team to nearly medaling in the 100 free at Worlds, dropping 1.6 seconds to 52.91 and rising 66 spots to ninth globally. Her 50 free improved similarly, from 24.86 to 24.23, and she swept both at European U-23s before finals at European Short Course Championships (sixth in 50 free, fifth in 100 free). Now in the top 30 all-time for both events (29th and 30th), she's far ahead of her 2024 rankings. This gives Marrit Steenbergen a strong relay partner, as seen in their Worlds bronze in the 4x100 free.
In This Story
Katie Ledecky
Lani Pallister
Louis Croenen
Marrit Steenbergen
What do you think—will Roos Vanotterdijk continue this dominance, or is her style of swimming setting her up for a fall? Do you agree that her versatility is revolutionary, or is it just a flash in the pan? Share your opinions in the comments below, and let's debate!
