COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Standout performances at the London 2012 Olympic Games garnered swimmers Missy Franklin (Centennial, Colo.) and Michael Phelps (Baltimore, Md.) Athlete of the Month recognition, while the women's 4x100-meter track & field team was named Team of the Month for August, the United States Olympic Committee announced today.
Franklin headed into her first Olympic Games with seven swimming events. The 17-year-old walked away with five medals, including four golds. In the process, she set two world records (400-meter medley relay and 200 backstroke), one Olympic record (800 freestyle relay) and two American records (100 backstroke, 400 freestyle relay). Franklin earned bronze in the 400 freestyle relay and gold in the 100 backstroke, 800 freestyle relay, 400 medley relay and 200 backstroke.
Meanwhile, swimming in seven events in London, Phelps closed out his swimming career by adding six more medals to bring his total to 22 total medals, including 18 golds. Both numbers are the most by any Olympian in any sport. He also defended his back-to-back gold medals in the 100 butterfly, marking the first time ever a swimmer has won the same event in three consecutive Olympic Games. At the conclusion of the eight-day competition, the International Swimming Federation (FINA) presented Phelps with a lifetime achievement award. Phelps completed the London Games gold medals in the 100 butterfly, 200 individual medley, 400 medley relay and 800 freestyle relay; while capturing silver in the 200 butterfly and 400 freestyle relay.
The 4x100-meter team of Tianna Madison (Sanford, Fla.), Allyson Felix (Santa Clarita, Calif.), Bianca Knight (Austin, Texas) and Carmelita Jeter won gold and set a world record at the 2012 Games in a time of 40.82. The women crushed the world record of 41.37 run by East Germany in 1985. The .55 improvement was the largest drop in that event in the modern era.
Gymnastics standout Gabby Douglas (Virginia Beach, Va.) and track star Allyson Felix (Santa Clarita, Calif.) earned second and third place in the female vote. On the men's side, diving sensation David Boudia (Noblesville, Ind.) finished runner-up, while wrestler Jordan Burroughs (Lincoln, Neb.) took third. The U.S. women's water polo team earned second in the team competition, while the U.S. women's soccer team rounded out the voting in third.
Each National Governing Body may nominate one female, one male and one team per discipline. A voting panel selects the winners from the pool of nominees with online fan voting via Twitter accounting for 10 percent of the total vote.
FEMALE
- Missy Franklin, Swimming
- Gabby Douglas, Gymnastics
- Allyson Felix, Track & Field
MALE
- Michael Phelps, Swimming
- David Boudia, Diving
- Jordan Burroughs, Wrestling
TEAM
- Women's 4x100-meter Team, Track & Field
- U.S. Women's Water Polo Team
- U.S. Women's Soccer Team
