UPDATE: Click to see video interview with Yu-Na.
Just got back from New York's Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, where the Women's Sports Foundation held its 31st Annual Salute to Women in Sports. Had great conversations with Yu-Na Kim, Michelle Kwan, Sarah Hughes, Billie Jean King, and others (all of which will be featured in upcoming videos). But wanted to share great news about Yu-Na, who looked very elegant and might I say, Hollywood (not surprising given her relocation to Los Angeles). She received Sportswoman of the Year. Also nominated were Kelly Kulick (first woman to be part of the previously all male Professional Bowlers Association Tour), Alana Nichols (Paralympic champion in wheelchair basketball and alpine skier), Sanya Richards (Olympic champion in track and field) and Anna Tunnicliffe (Olympic champion sailor).
The full release follows -- will share more in the coming days:
Women’s Sports Foundation Honors Top Female Athletes and Announces Collaboration with espnW at Annual Salute to Women in Sports Awards Dinner
Yuna Kim, Katie O’Donnell, Amy Palmiero-Winters and Caitlin Baker among award recipients
NEW YORK, N.Y., OCTOBER 12, 2010 - Tonight, at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City, Billie Jean King, Women’s Sports Foundation Founder, and Mary Carillo, sportscaster and former professional tennis player, hosted the Women’s Sports Foundation’s 31st Annual Salute to Women in Sports awards dinner. Sports fans and champion athletes from Jessica Mendoza and Laila Ali to Annika Sorenstam and Michelle Kwan gathered to recognize and honor talented female athletes who, through their accomplishments, have been inspiring role models for girls and women worldwide. As part of the celebration, Women’s Sports Foundation CEO Kathryn Olson, announced that the foundation has been chosen as the “Official Charity of espnW,” the soon-to-be-launched digital arm of ESPN that will serve, inform and inspire the female athlete and fan.
“It is an absolute honor to be chosen as the Official Charity of espnW,” said Kathryn Olson, CEO of the Women’s Sports Foundation. “We applaud and support espnW in their effort to tell the story of female athletes and help the Women’s Sports Foundation to continue our mission of advancing the lives of girls and women through sport and showcasing female athletes as individuals with limitless potential.”
The Women’s Sports Foundation will work closely with espnW, expanding support of programs for girls and women by sharing content across joint media assets and driving awareness for specific Women’s Sports Foundation programs. Top programs include GoGirlGo!, which uses sport and physical activity as an educational intervention for young girls; Travel & Training Fund, a fund that provides financial assistance for coaching, specialized training and equipment for female athletes; and a future media-based campaign featuring celebrity dads with their daughters which will emphasize the importance of sports participation and family involvement. espnW will share content with the Foundation’s SHE Network, launching in early 2011, and ESPN RISE for Girls – which serves high school girl athletes – will work closely with the foundation on target initiatives.
Laura Gentile, vice president, espnW and ESPN RISE digital and publishing, said, “ESPN has been a supporter of the Women’s Sports Foundation since its very beginning. As we now join the effort to serve female athletes in a more comprehensive way with espnW, we’re delighted to expand this relationship with focused cross-promotion and programs.”
The espnW announcement was just one pinnacle in a phenomenal tribute to women in sports and the girls they inspire. The awards dinner celebrated the accomplishments of outstanding female athletes who have made their mark on the world of sports in 2010. Figure skater Yuna Kim and field hockey star Katie O’Donnell were honored with the prestigious Sportswoman of the Year Awards in the individual and team categories, respectively. The Wilma Rudolph Courage Award went to Amy Palmiero-Winters, below-knee amputee ultramarathon athlete, while 16 year-old swimmer, Caitlin Baker, accepted the ANNIKA Inspiration Award. In addition to these outstanding athletes, Launny Steffens received the Billie Jean King Contribution Award.
Figure skater, Yuna Kim received the Sportswoman of the Year Award for individual sport athletes. At the Ladies’ Singles event at the Trophée Eric Bompard event in Paris, Kim became the first woman to have a combined final score of over 210 points and finishing 36.04 points ahead of her closest competitor. Kim has set two world records and in February 2010, she won the gold medal at the Vancouver Olympic Winter Games in the Ladies’ Singles event, making her the first Korean to medal at an Olympic Winter Games. Kim is currently ranked No.1 by the International Skating Union.
Katie O’Donnell was presented with the Sportswoman of the Year Award for team sport athletes. As a University of Maryland Terrapin, O’Donnell was the strongest offensive threat in women’s field hockey during the 2009 season. She led the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) with 87 points and 31 assists during the regular season. She was named the National Player of the Year and Offensive MVP by womensfieldhockey.com. and was named a First Team All-American by the National Field Hockey Coaches Association and womensfieldhockey.com. O’Donnell is also a starting center forward on the U.S. National team.
The Wilma Rudolph Courage Award was presented to Amy Palmiero-Winters, below-knee amputee and ultramarathon, marathon and triathlon athlete, for exhibiting great determination and strength in both her professional and personal life. Despite losing her foot in a motorcycle accident in 1994, Palmiero-Winters – fit with a custom-made running prosthetic – continued to run marathons and went on to set 12 world records, On January 1, 2010, she was the overall winner (beating all men and women) of the “Run to the Future,” a twenty-four race in Glendale, Ariz., by running 130.04. Her performance earned her the distinction of being the first amputee to qualify for the U.S. National Track & Field Team.
John L. “Launny” Steffens received the 2010 Billie Jean King Contribution Award. He was recognized for making significant contributions to the development and advancement of women’s sports and for having a profound impact on the Women’s Sports Foundation, specifically. In 1996, Steffens was the President of the Private Client Group for Merrill Lynch when he decided to take a chance on a non-traditional organization like WSF and sponsor its 17th Annual Salute to Women in Sports. For the past 15 years, Steffens has supported the organization by serving on the WSF’s Board of Stewards, encouraging high profile businessmen and women to serve on the WSF trustee board and acting as a strategic advisor. Steffens carried his commitment to WSF beyond his 38 years at Merrill Lynch through to a new position as Founder and Managing Director of Spring Mountain Capital, LP. The Women’s Sports Foundation honors Launny Steffens with the Billie Jean King Contribution award for his years of support, unwavering generosity and his relentless effort helping women athletes to strive, compete and realize their dreams.
The ANNIKA Inspiration Award, presented by WSF and ANNIKA Foundation, honors a deserving individual girl who demonstrates athleticism, dedication, leadership and the ability to inspire others. Caitlin Baker accepted the honor from Annika Sorenstam, the most dominant player in women’s golf and among the greatest icons in sports. Baker, a 16-year old competitive swimmer from Norman, Oklahoma, accepted the award in its inaugural year. Baker has been swimming since the age of 8 and turned to competitive swimming at age 11. It was around that time that Baker realized there were few swimmers of Native American heritage from rural Oklahoma and founded CAITLINB – which stands for Competitive American Indians Turning Lifestyles into New Beginnings. She has become a national spokesperson and symbol on the challenges facing young Native Americans.
In addition to recognizing women in sports and their supporters, the Women’s Sports Foundation’s Annual Salute to Women in Sports gala helps amplify its mission, promote gender equality in women’s athletics, and raise funds to support programs that help girls become physically active. The Annual Salute to Women in Sports was co-presented by ESPN and Gatorade®. Event sponsors included official airline sponsor American Airlines, beauty salon partners MAC and UNITE, and photo partner Getty Images.
