Interest in Australian swimming centres on the announcement of the Swimmer of the Year Awards for 1998, due to be announced in Sydney. Contention will be focused on the rivalry between multiple World Champion and World record holder Michel Klim and the new sensation World Champion 400m free, and World record holder in the 800m freestyle Relay Ian Thorpe.

Only one point(IPS) separates the two rivals with the "Thorpedo" on 1017 points for his 400m Freestyle LC in 3:44.35 and Klim for his winning time at the World Championships in the 100m Butterfly in 52.25.

Leading the women is Susan O'Neill with an IPS of 1015 for her second World All Time best of 200m Butterfly of 2:06.60.

Not an easy decision for the selection panel given the very high standard and the multiple gold medals of each of the competitors in the 1998 World Championships in Perth in January and the Commonwealth Games at Kuala Lumpur in September.