Athletes

Sarah Hughes turned in a performance of a lifetime to capture the elusive gold medal at the 2002 Olympic Games in Salt Lake City as well as a prominent place in sports history. At the age of 16, Sarah became the fourth youngest Olympic woman figure skating champion of all time. Following her Olympic triumph, she received the Presidential Award for Economic Excellence and was nominated for five ESPY Awards, winning the first-ever ESPY Award for Best U.S. Olympian. Sarah was recently named one of the top finalists for the 73rd Annual AAU James E. Sullivan Memorial Award, which recognizes the top amateur athlete in the nation. In 2002, she was presented by the Women's Sports Foundation with the Sportswoman of the Year (Individual) Award at the 23rd Annual Salute to Women in Sports Awards Gala. Leading up to her Olympic performance, Sarah finished third at the 2002 Grand Prix Final and went on to capture her third U.S. medal by claiming bronze in January at the 2002 State Farm U.S. Championships. This event helped her to qualify for the 2002 Olympic team. In 2001, she placed second at the 2001 Skate America and the Sake Canada, her first major title. In March 1999, Sarah finished seventh in the World Figure Skating Championships in Helsinki, becoming the highest-placing 13-year-old in modern figure skating history. During the 1998-99 season, Sarah has been an active member of the U.S. International A Team. She has won the gold medal in the U.S. World Junior Selection Competition and the silver medal in the World Junior Championships. Sarah has also won three silver medals in Junior Grand Prix events, the MexicoCup in Mexico City in September 1998, the Hungarian Trophy in Budapest in October 1998, and the Grand Prix Final in Detroit in March 1999. At her first Junior Nationals in 1998, she became one of three skaters to capture the Junior National Championship before the age of 13. She then went on to finish second in the 1998 Junior World Championships. Her performance there earned her an entry into the senior nationals. There, after the short program, she sat in second place and finished fourth overall. Sarah has left a lasting impression of a champion and hopes to do so again at the 2006 Olympic Games. (10/02)