Michael Phelps, Natalie Coughlin, Erin Popovich Honored by USOC

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado, January 22. OLYMPIANS and U.S. National Team members Michael Phelps and Natalie Coughlin were named the 2008 United States Olympic Committee SportsMan and SportsWoman of the Year Thursday. Paralympic swimmer Erin Popovich was also named the USOC Paralympian of the Year.

This is the second time Phelps has been selected as the USOC SportsMan of the Year and the first time Coughlin has received the USOC SportsWoman of the Year honor. Coughlin shares the honor with gymnast Nastia Liukin. Phelps took home the award in 2004 and earned the USOC's first-ever Outstanding Performance of the Year award in 2007.

"The performances of American athletes at the 2008 Olympic and Paralympic Games were absolutely awesome, capping an unprecedented year of success for USA Swimming," said Chuck Wielgus, the Executive Director of USA Swimming. "To have three swimmers honored with this prestigious award speaks volumes, both about the tradition of excellence in American swimming, and about their individual dedication, talent and drive. USA Swimming takes an immense amount of pride in our athletes, and we congratulate Erin, Natalie and Michael, as well as their teammate Nastia, on this well-deserved recognition."

In 2008, Phelps took home a historic eight-gold medals at the Olympic Games, breaking the former record of seven, set by Mark Spitz. Phelps set a total of seven world records, eight American records, and eight Olympic records throughout the Olympic competition. He now owns 14 Olympic gold medals over the course of his career, five more than any other athlete. The accolade from the USOC adds to Phelps' already impressive post-Beijing awards haul, which includes the Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year and Top Sports Story of the Year, Sports Illustrated's "Sportsman of the Year", Swimming World Magazine's Male World Swimmer of the Year, USA Swimming Swimmer of the Year, and the USA Swimming Foundation's Golden Goggle Award for Male Athlete of the Year.

Coughlin also made history in 2008, becoming the first American woman in any Olympic sport to win six medals in one Olympic Games. In Beijing, Coughlin set five American records and one Olympic record. She won a gold medal in the women's 100m back, becoming the first woman to win back-back gold medals in the event, claimed two silver medals in the 400m free relay and 400m medley relay, and earned three bronze medals in the 200m IM, 100m free and 800m free relay. Over the course of her career, Coughlin has won 11 Olympic medals in the 11 Olympic events in which she has competed (5 in Athens and 6 in Beijing). In November of 2008, she was named the Female Athlete of the Year at the USA Swimming Foundation's Golden Goggle Awards. She also earned Swimming World Magazine's Female American Swimmer of the Year.

"Having two swimmers selected by the USOC as the SportsMan and SportsWoman of the year during the Olympic year, is quite an honor for our sport,' said Mark Schubert, USA Swimming's National Team Head Coach and General Manager. "Michael's performances were historic and unprecedented and Natalie led our women's team by medaling in every event. We could not have had better leadership in Beijing."

Popovich, who was named USOC Paralympian of the Year in 2004 as well as 2008, had an impressive performance in the pool at the Paralympics in Beijing. She earned four gold medals and two silver medals in China, breaking two world records (200m IM and 100m breast) and two Paralympic records. She is a three-time Paralympian and owns a total of 19 Paralympic medals (14 gold and 5 silver).

The U.S. Men's National Volleyball Team was voted the 2008 USOC Team of the Year.

The USOC SportsMan and SportsWoman of the Year awards have been presented annually since 1974 to the top overall male and female athlete from within the USOC member organizations. The team award was added in 1996. Winners are selected from the individual female and male Athlete of the Year and Team of the Year nominations of the National Governing Bodies for the Olympic, Pan American and Affiliated Organizations within the U.S. Olympic Movement.

Phelps joins fellow male swimmers John Naber (1976), Matt Biondi (1986, 1988) and Pablo Morales (1992) as USOC SportsMan of the Year recipients. Coughlin joins female swimmers Shirley Babashoff (1974), Kathy Heddy (1975), Tracy Caulkins (1978, 1984), Sippy Woodhead (1979), Janet Evans (1989), Amy Van Dyken (1996), Jenny Thompson (1999), and Katie Hoff (2005) as USOC SportsWoman of the Year award winners.

Special thanks to USA Swimming for contributing this report.

Natalie Coughlin wins 100 meter backstroke.

Subscribe
Notify of
guest

Welcome to our community. We invite you to join our discussion. Our community guidelines are simple: be respectful and constructive, keep on topic, and support your fellow commenters. Commenting signifies that you agree to our Terms of Use

0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
0
Would love your thoughts, please comment.x
()
x