SANTIAGO, Dec. 18 (Xinhua) -- Chilean swimmer Kristel Kobrich was chosen on Friday the Sportswoman of the Year by the Sports Journalism Circle of Chile.

    Kobrich thus received the Golden Condor award for her outstanding performance during the year.

    Kobrich surpassed the South American records of 400, 800 and 1,500 meters at long pool and those of 400 and 800 meters at 25-meter pool.

    Kobrich did her best performance in July, 2009, at the Swimming World Cup of Rome, where she was among the top ten of open water (6th), 800 meters (9th) and 1,500 meters (4th).

    Kobrich also won the silver medal at the 800 meters free at the Swimming World Cup in Stockholm, Sweden.

    While in the heats of 800 meters in Berlin, Germany, she was three seconds from the world record.

    At the ceremony, soccer goalkeeper Claudio Bravo, national soccer team coach Marcelo Bielsa and athlete Natalia Duco also received recognitions for their performance.