Jesse Owens Award nominees...

I recently received an email stating that I have a vote as a track and field journalist for the 2007 Jesse Owens Award.

This year’s awards will be presented at the Jesse Owens Awards and Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, held at the Sheraton Waikiki in Honolulu, Hawaii. The ceremony is held in conjunction with USA Track & Field’s 2007 Annual Meeting in Honolulu.

The Jesse Owens Award was established in 1981 as a tribute to the man whose accomplishments are forever enshrined in sports history. It is USA Track & Field’s highest accolade, and is presented annually to the individuals selected through a nominating and voting procedure as the outstanding American performers of the year in Athletics.

Just to get your opinions in cyberland, I've set up a poll on the right side of this blogspot site, (below my bio) where you can vote for who you think should be the Jesse Owens Award winner.

To make things interesting, I'd like to hear your comments on who should get the award, and why. On the women's side, an argument could be made to have Kara Goucher as a finalist, based on her accomplishments after Osaka, particularly with her half-marathon performance on Sunday in England.

Here are the men's and women's finalists for the Jesse Owens Award, listed in alphabetical order, followed by their accomplishments in 2007:

Men

Tyson Gay

--World Outdoor Championships gold medalist at 100m (9.85), 200m (19.76 Championship Record) and 4x100m relay (37.78).
--USA champion at 100m (9.84 CR) and 200m (19.62CR), the fastest 100-200 double in history
--Undefeated in 100 and 200
--5 of 6 fastest times by an American in 100; also ran wind-aided 9.76 and 9.79. 3 of 4 fastest times by an American in 200 and 2007 world leader (19.62).
--Visa Champion as top male performer of Visa Championship Series


Breaux Greer

--Broke American record in javelin twice: 90.71/297-7 at adidas Track Classic and 91.29/299-6 at AT&T USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships
--World Championships bronze medalist; first medal for Team USA in the javelin since 1983
--2007 world leader (91.29/299-6); #9 thrower all-time. Eight longest throws by an American in 2007
--2007 USA Outdoor champion (91.29/299-6)


Reese Hoffa

--World Outdoor gold medalist in shot put (22.04m/72-3.75)
--Top 2 throws in the world outdoors, including WL 22.43m/73-7.25; 3 of the top 4 marks and 10 of top 19
--USA Outdoor champion and World Athletics Final Champion


Bernard Lagat

--World Outdoor gold medalist in 1500m (3:34.77) and 5,000 (13:45.87)
--First man to complete 1,500/5,000 double wins at World Outdoors
--Became first American to win 1,500m gold and first American to win any medal in 5,000 at World Outdoors
--First American in 99 years to win 1,500m gold at Worlds or Olympics
--Indoors, broke American record at 3,000m (7:32.43) and had the fastest time by an American in the mile (3:54.36).
--USA Outdoor 5,000m champion (13:30.73)


Brad Walker

--World Outdoor gold medalist in pole vault (5.86m/19-2.75)
--Top 2 marks in world, including 2007 world leader (5.95/19-6.25); 4 of top 6 marks in the world and 5 of top 6 marks by an American
--USA Outdoor champion (5.70m/18-08.25) and World Athletics Final champion


Jeremy Wariner

--World Outdoor gold medalist in 400m (43.45WL) and 4x400m relay (2:55.56)
--Anchored Team USA to third-fastest time in history in 4x400m relay at World Outdoors
--Two fastest times in the world and 5 of top 7 times; his WL 43.46 makes him the third-fastest man in history.
--Undefeated at 400m


Alan Webb

--Broke American record in mile (3:46.91; #8 man all-time)
--2007 world leader in mile (3:46.91) and 1,500m (3:30.54); #2 in world in 800m (1:43.84)
--USA indoor mile (4:01.07) and outdoor 1,500m (3:34.82 Championship Record) champion
--Set personal bests at 800 (1:43.84), 1,500m (3:30.54) and mile (3:46.91).


Women

Allyson Felix

--World Outdoor gold medalist in 200m (21.81), 4x100m relay (41.98) and 4x400m relay (3:18.55; split 48.0), becoming the second woman in history to win three gold medals at a single World Outdoor Championships
--Winning 200m time was fastest by a woman since 1999 and was the largest margin of victory in World Outdoor history (.53)
--Undefeated at 200m; ran top 3 times in the world at 200m
--Set personal bests in 100 (11.01), 200 (21.81) and 400m (49.70)
--Ran American record indoors for 300m (36.33)
--USA Outdoor Champion (22.34); 4th in 100 (11.25)


Shalane Flanagan

--Broke American record indoors at 3,000m (8:33.25) and outdoors at 5,000m (14:44.80)
--USA Indoor 3,000m (8:56.74) and outdoor 5,000m (14:51.75) champion
--Eighth in 5,000m at World Outdoors (15:03.86)
--Set PRs at 1,500m (4:05.96), 3,000m (8:33.25i) and 5,000m (14:44.80).
--2nd at USA XC Championships


Michelle Perry

--World Outdoor gold medalist in 100m hurdles (12.46)
--Major victories at Rome, Paris, Lausanne, Eugene, Carson and World Athletics Final
--2007 world leader (12.44); 6 of 9 fastest times by an American


Sanya Richards

--Won half of Golden League Jackpot by winning all six GL meets at 400m; other major wins include Nike Prefontaine Classic and World Athletics Final
--Ran five fastest times in the world at 400m, including eight sub-50 clockings
--World Outdoor 4x400m relay gold medalist (3:18.55); fifth in 200 (22.70)
--200m runner-up at USA Outdoors (22.43)
--Ran PR 11.05 in 100m


Jenn Stuczynski

--Broke American record outdoors in pole vault twice – 4.84/15-10.5 at adidas Track Classic and 4.88/16-0 at Reebok Grand Prix.
--Ranks as #2 jumper (tie) all-time outdoors and is only American to clear 16-0.
--USA Indoor (4.60m/15-1) and Outdoor (4.45m/14-7.25) champion
--Top 4 jumps by an American outdoors and top 3 indoors; #2 vaulter in world outdoors


Tiffany Williams

--Visa Champion as top female athlete of Visa Championship Series
--USA Outdoor 400m hurdles champion (53.28); 7th at World Outdoors (54.63)
--2007 world leader (53.28)
--5 of top 7 times by an American in 2007

You can read each of their bios by going to usatf.org.