Allyson Felix named USOC Sportswoman of the Year The United States Olympic Committee announced its annual award recipients for Olympic and Paralympic athletes and teams of the year.
News-Sports.net - Sep 18,2012 - Sprinter Allyson Felix (Los Angeles, Calif.) has been named the USOC SportsWoman of the Year; swimmer Michael Phelps (Baltimore, Md.) was selected SportsMan of the Year; the U.S. women’s eight rowing team was honored as Olympic Team of the Year; S8 swimmer Jessica Long (Colorado Springs, Colo.) was named Paralympic SportsWoman of the Year; T52 wheelchair racer Raymond Martin (Jersey City, N.J.) was named Paralympic SportsMan of the Year; and the U.S. men’s quad doubles tennis team was designated Paralympic Team of the Year.
“We are so proud to honor these young men and women who represent the finest ambassadors of sport, Team USA and the Olympic Movement,” said USOC CEO Scott Blackmun. “Through their commitment to excellence on and off the field, these athletes represent our country with incredible grace and composure, and their outstanding achievements are an inspiration to all Americans.”
The six awards will be presented at a celebratory dinner during the 2012 U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Assembly held Sept. 20-21 at the Antlers Hilton Hotel in Colorado Springs, Colo.
Allyson Felix, Olympic SportsWoman of the YearPhoto of Allyson Felix
U.S. track & field standout Allyson Felix made history during her third Olympic appearance by collecting three gold medals and becoming the first woman to accomplish the feat since Florence Griffith-Joyner in 1988. Felix claimed her first gold of the London Games in the 200 meters and, two days later, ran the second leg of the world-record setting 4x100 relay team. She closed the Games with the gold medal in the 4x400 relay. A three-time Olympic medalist in the 200, Felix claimed top honors in her signature event at the 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials, breaking Griffith-Joyner’s 24-year-old record with a time of 21.69 seconds – the fourth-fastest by a woman in history. The three-time Jesse Owens Award winner became the first American woman to win national titles in all three sprint events at the 2011 U.S. Outdoor Championships. She completed her stellar 2011 campaign by winning four medals at the 2011 World Championships, tying Carl Lewis for 10 career medals in the event.
Michael Phelps, Olympic SportsMan of the Year
During the recently completed 2012 Olympic Games, Michael Phelps became the most decorated Olympian in history with 22 medals, including 18 golds. At the London Games, Phelps capped his illustrious career with four gold medals – including individual titles in the 200-meter individual medley and 100 butterfly and relay wins in the 4x200 freestyle and 4x100 medley. He also added silver medals in the 200 butterfly and the 4x100 freestyle relay. It was a fitting exclamation point to Phelps’ career that spanned four Olympic Games. Phelps concluded the 2012 Games as the most successful swimmer of the meet for a third consecutive time. In his final season, Phelps also earned the 2011-12 USA Swimming Grand Prix Series title and collected seven medals at the 2012 FINA World Championships.
U.S. Women’s Eight, Olympic Team of the Year
With a gold medal at the 2012 Olympic Games, the women’s
