The best of Olympic competitors in both summer and winter
sports, both Olympic and Paralympic athletes were honored at the 2017 Team USA Awards presented by DOW at Royce
Hall on the campus of UCLA Wednesday night. The
show hosted by Mark McGrath of the band Sugar Ray was recorded to be televised
on Dec. 23 on NBC. Presenters of the show
included Olympic legends Carl Lewis, Janet Evans and Michelle Kwan.
The show kicked off with a tremendous video of past Olympic
Athletes competing in the Olympic games as far back as Jesse Owens at the 1936
Berlin games. The five-minute montage sent chills through the live audience
that attended the show.
The first award given out was for best Male Paralympic
Athlete Of The Year. Middle distance
runner Mikey
Brannigan who won gold in the 1500-meter final at the Rio Games was chosen
for the award. His accomplishment at the Paralympic Games helped him become the
first American with Autism to win an Olympic medal.
Tatyana
McFadden who is considered Team USA’s most decorated Paralympian won the
award for a third time. McFadden became the most decorated wheelchair marathon
champion in history taking her fourth consecutive grand slam title at Chicago
and New York Marathons. Since winning six medals in Rio with four of them gold,
McFadden finished the year with 17 medals in total over the span of four Paralympic
games.
Katie
Ladecky took the honor for best Female Athlete Of The Year but was unable
to attend due to her studies at Stanford University. The two-time winner of the
award and five-time gold medalist sent a video expressing her honor of
receiving the award twice for her accomplishments in the swimming pool. The
then 19-year-old star won gold in the 200, 400, and 800-meter freestyle events
at Rio and also helped bring home gold in the 4x200 meter freestyle relay and
silver in the 4x100 meter freestyle relay.
The Jesse Owens Olympic Spirit award went to Track and Field
star Allyson
Felix for her dedication to her sport and the community. The Six-time gold
medalist at Beijing, London and Rio gave her time at six different foundations
for children in the Los Angeles area where she grew up. The 32-year-old gave
her time to children who looked for hope, for encouragement and the want of
success that she has had. She went on to thank her coach Bob Kersee and family
for their support and push to continue to make her successful on and off the
track.
The United States Olympic Committee also acknowledged the
hard work of the coaches of Olympic athletes. Wrestling coach Bill Zadick was
honored for his achievements of the past year where US Wrestling won two gold
and a bronze in both women’s and men’s freestyle.
Eileen Carey took the award for Paralympic Coach Of The Year
for her work the Nordic Skiing program. Since 2002, Team USA Nordic Skiiing has
won eight medals including two gold medals.
Kyle Snyder
who took home gold in Rio was awarded best Male Olympic Athlete Of The Year.
The then 20-year-old Woodbine Maryland native lost just two points on his way
to the final against Khetag Gazyumov of Azerbaijan winning 3-1 to take gold in
the men’s 97kg weight class.
USA Hockey took
home two awards for best Olympic and Paralympic teams on the night. The women’s
hockey team was chosen for winning their fourth consecutive World Championship.
They too sent a video expressing their honor and thanks for winning the award.
The men’s sled hockey team was awarded the Paralympic team of the year which
captain Josh Pauls accepted on behalf of his squad. Team USA has won the world
championship three times since 2009 and gold three times at the Paralympic
Games.
Embed from Getty Images
The Highlight of the night was the award ceremony for
Chaunte Lowe who placed fourth in the women’s high jump at the summer Olympics in
Beijing. Due to Russia’s substance abuse cases at the Olympics, The
International Olympic committee in connection with the USOC and USA Track and
Field awarded Lowe with her bronze medal from the 2008 Olympics.
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