Kwan First Runner-Up in U.S. Sports Academy Female Athlete of the Year Voting

Kwan First Runner-Up in U.S. Sports Academy Female Athlete of the Year Voting

http://www.usfsa.org/Story.asp?id=28344&type=news

yeah. She needed another medal. :sheesh:

Joe

Congrats to Michelle then!

She didn't win. Carly Patterson won. Michelle got second. I guess first runner-up sounds better.

I love Michelle, but Maria Sharapova and Diane Taurasi both had great years. So did Anika Sorenstam.

MM

She didn't win. Carly Patterson won. Michelle got second. I guess first runner-up sounds better.

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-posted by mpal2

I know, but still runner-up is pretty good!

Wasn't this just an internet poll? Seems some fans may have stuffed the voting, or at least this is what has been suggested on some other boards.

At any rate, great for Michelle Kwan. She has thousands of loyal fans that adore her so this girl must be doing something right!

It is obviously true that Michelle is amazingly popular. Her popularity is based on different criterea that we use for many athletes especially skaters. It has usually been the Olympic Gold medalists that the public has embraced. But I think they embrace Michelle not only because of her amazing talent and Titles, but because of her longevity and her grace when winning or losing. She is the household name, to the average american who is not deep into the skating world, when it comes to ladies figure skating. While this year she did not have the the accomplishments she has had in previous years, she did accomplish winning her 8th National Championship THIS year. That in and of itself is amazing in any sport. Not many athletes ever have a year during which they prove they are the best our Nation has to offer for their eigth year. If you read the criterea the nominations were was based on, it was especially focused on this being the year she was crowned for the eighth time - and given that I don't see it surprising at all she came in as runner-up. Seriously doubt that 8 years from now Carly Patterson will be the Ladies National Gymnastics Champion. And while I am not saying in any way that a one time great performance at the right time time doesn't deserve the highest of recognition, I think a decade of brilliant results does as well.

As I understand it, nominees for the Sports Academy "Athlete of the Year" include those athletes who were voted "Athlete of the Month", and Kwan probably won that title for her performance at Nats (although she may have won it for her handling of the `streaker' incident at Worlds). Being nominated, therefore, is not necessarily an indication of the athlete's year-round performance.