Vote For Valerio, Italy's Sportsman Of The Year

2009 world 25K champion Valerio Cleri is up for nomination for the Sportsmen of the Year in Italy.

Valerio has always been in the top echelon of professional marathon swimmers, but he truly showed his heart of a champion at the 2009 World Swimming Championships.

Since finishing a close fourth in the Olympic 10K Marathon Swim at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and a disappointing fourth place in the 10K race at the 2009 World Swimming Championships in Rome, Valerio came back strongly in the very tough, wavy, fiercely fought 25K race at the 2009 World Swimming Championships to win in dramatic fashion.

For his dramatic win, he was not only nominated for the World's Great Open Water Swim of the Year award, but also for Italy's Sportsmen of the Year.

Valerio is known to train extraordinarily hard, is totally committed to the sport and is a humble champion and fine representative of marathon swimming.

So far, Valerio is following behind Edward and Francesco Molinari from golf (32% of the total vote to date), Roberto Cammarelle from boxing (25%), but ahead of Valentino Rossi from motorcycling (19%) and Andrea Baldini from fencing (3%). Valerio currently has 20% of the total vote.

We encourage the global swimming community to show our support for Valerio and vote for him online here.

Vote online here.

Copyright © 2009 by World Open Water Swimming Association