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Long Selected as Finalist for AAU's Sullivan Award
Fans can vote online at usatoday.com through March 31
// U.S. Paralympics
// March 2, 2007
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Paralympian Jessica Long (swimming, Baltimore, Md.) has been named as one of 15 finalists for the James E. Sullivan Award, presented annually by the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) to the top amateur athlete in the United States.
Long, 15, was nominated for the award after a spectacular year in 2006, which was highlighted by her nine-gold-medal, five-world-record performance at the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Swimming World Championships in Durban, South Africa. She has already been selected as the U.S. Olympic Committee's 2006 Paralympian of the Year and Swimming World Magazine's 2006 Disabled Swimmer of the Year.
Fans can vote for the Sullivan Award winner through March 31 by clicking here. AAU officials, USOC members and college sports information directors will also be among the voters for this year's award. Fan voting will count toward one-third of the final tally.
The other 14 nominees for the 2006 Sullivan Award are: Joey Cheek (speedskating), Sasha Cohen (figure skating), Troy Dumais (diving), Chris Leak (football), Joakim Noah (basketball), Apolo Ohno, (speedskating), Candace Parker (basketball), Michael Phelps (swimming), Brady Quinn (football), Angela Ruggiero (ice hockey), Troy Smith (football), Hannah Teter (snowboarding), Joe Warren (wrestling) and Bill Zadick (wrestling).
Recent winners of the award include J.J. Redick (2005), Paul Hamm (2004), Michael Phelps (2003), Sarah Hughes (2002), Michelle Kwan (2001), Rulon Gardner (2000), Coco Miller (1999), Chamique Holdsclaw (1998) and Peyton Manning (1997).
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