Michelle Kwan Receives AAU Sullivan Award

Named the 2001 Top Amateur Athlete during the 72nd AAU James E. Sullivan Memorial Award Presentation at New York Athletic Club

NEW YORK - (April 9, 2002) - The 72nd Annual AAU James E. Sullivan Memorial Award, which recognizes the top amateur athlete in the nation, was presented to Michelle Kwan by the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) during a formal awards presentation at the New York Athletic Club Tuesday evening.

Kwan, who became just the second figure skater after Dick Button (1949) to win the AAU Sullivan, faced stiff competition to receive this honor. Natalie Coughlin (swimming), Mark Prior (baseball), Sean Townsend (gymnastics) and Alan Webb (track and field) were also finalists. All five athletes were selected based on their qualities of leadership, character, sportsmanship and the ideals of amateurism in the year 2001.

"The AAU is proud and excited to be honoring five outstanding individuals who have admirably represented themselves, their country, and their communities," said Louis Stout, Chair of the AAU Sullivan Committee. "To be considered for the AAU Sullivan Award is indeed a tremendous achievement. To be honoring these athletes at the New York Athletic Club, in the spot where the AAU was founded, makes the AAU Sullivan Award for 2001 a unique and fitting experience."

"We are very proud that the AAU James E. Sullivan Award will now be presented at the New York Athletic Club, where the AAU was born," said Al Green, President of the NYAC. "Michelle Kwan is a wonderful person to win it in our first year."

Kwan is the most decorated skater, male or female, in U.S. skating history, having won an unprecedented 38 championships including four World Championships (1996, 1998, 2000, 2001) and six National Championships (1996, 1998-2002). She is the first American ladies skater to win four World titles since Carol Heiss (1959).

"In the many years that I have had the privilege of being involved with the AAU," stated AAU President Bobby Dodd, "I think that this is one of the most exciting years for this presentation, considering the level of competition that each of these athletes are involved in."

Considered the "Oscar" of sports awards, the AAU James E. Sullivan Award has been presented to prominent athletes of our time including last year's recipient, Olympic wrestling gold medallist Rulon Gardner. Others include: Chamique Holdsclaw (1998), Peyton Manning (1997), William "Bill" Bradley (1965), Dan Jansen (1994), Janet Evans (1989), Jim Abbott (1987), Jackie Joyner-Kersee (1986), Greg Louganis (1984), the late Florence Griffith-Joyner (1988) and the first recipient, the late, great golfer Robert Jones.

The AAU James E. Sullivan Memorial Award has been presented annually by the AAU since 1930 as a salute to the founder and past president of the AAU, and a pioneer in amateur sports, James E. Sullivan.

A 700-member group including the AAU board of directors, the U.S. Olympic Committee board of directors, the AAU Sullivan Committee, past Sullivan Award winners, and select members of the sports media vote on the winner. The AAU Sullivan Award recipient receives a replica of the original trophy that depicts the figure of a runner carrying a laurel branch mounted on a black pedestal. Each of the five finalists receives a medallion depicting the AAU Sullivan Trophy. The AAU James E. Sullivan Memorial Award will be housed permanently in the Hall of Fame of the New York Athletic Club.

The Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) is one of the largest, non-profit, volunteer, sports organizations in the United States. A multi-sport organization, the AAU is dedicated exclusively to the promotion and development of amateur sports and physical fitness programs for all ages. Nearly 500,000 participants and over 50,000 volunteers share our philosophy of "Sports for All, Forever." Divided into 58 distinct associations, the AAU sanctions more than 34 sports programs, 250 national championships and over 10,000 local events across the United States annually.

CONTACT:

Melissa Wilson, AAU Marketing, Media, and PR
407-828-5636
melissa@aausports.org