Denver’s Adeline Gray is one of five finalists in the running for one of the U.S. Olympic Committee’s most prestigious awards, the female Olympic athlete of the year.
Gray, a wrestler, won her third world championships title and now ranks second all-time among U.S. female wrestlers in world championships medals (three gold, five overall). She has set her sights on becoming the first American woman to win an Olympic gold medal in wrestling next summer in Rio.
“It’s such an amazing list to be on,” Gray said. “It’s pretty special that the USOC is recognizing the non-mainstream sports. I had a really successful year — actually, a really successful two years — and it’s been a lot of fun. It’s nice to know that my hard work,, the fact that I set my goals high and my accomplishments are being recognized at the highest level.”
Online fan voting accounts for 50 percent of the selection process with the other 50 percent coming from selections within the Olympic family. Fans can vote through Nov. 20 at http://www.teamusa.org/awards. The winners will be announced Dec. 10.
Other female finalists include:
— Triathlete Gwen Jorgensen, who won her second consecutive world title and won 12 consecutive ITU events to complete an undefeated season.
— Gymnast Simone Biles, who won four gold medals at the world championships, including her third straight all-around title.
— Swimmer Katie Ledecky, who won five gold medals at the world championships while breaking three world records.
— Tennis star Serena Williams.
“Those are some amazing athletes and amazing women,” Gray said. “To be up there with that caliber of athlete is pretty spectacular.”
Finalists for the male Olympic athlete of the year are alpine racer Ted Ligety, decathlete Ashton Eaton, wrestler Jordan Burroughs, hockey player Auston Matthews and shooter Vincent Hancock.
Winter Park snowboarder Mike Shea is a finalist for the male Paralympic athlete of the year. Shea won a world title and three World Cup events to end the season ranked No. 1 in the world for both banked slalom and snowboardcross.
John Meyer: jmeyer@denverpost.com or @johnmeyer
