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Show Friday, December 27, 2002, THE DAILY HFRALD. (www.HarkThdierald com), Prove, Utah Page B7 ATHLETE OF THE YEAR Conquering all v v.. V consecutive Tour de Ranee winner Lance Armstrong was named the x. AccnriatoH PrAcc Mala .. IArhlata Hie var . vi Hu wiivib nf on Thursday. Armstrong has earned ioj W ' worldwide praise from sports fans and cancer fighters fa his recovery from testicular cancer . that spread to his lungs and brain. Four-tim- e " 'j , a 7 " T Career highlights vT)VB-hr- VWxtd eyeing crampon, r 1993 ) it .! ntwrriian T 7 i Tour de France stage wmer, 1993, "95 Tor DuPonl (winner, 1995, "98 Diagnosed wi testicular cancer in Ocober 1 996 Tburcte Franoewimer, 1999-20- 9S : lOu 02 SOURCES: Associated Press, Lance Afmstrong com LANCE Continued from Bl Athlete of the Year. Armstrong and Barry Bonds were the top two for a second straight year, only this time the San Francisco Giants' star finished second. Armstrong e received 45 votes and 292 points from sports writers and broadcasters. e Bonds had 31 votes and 233 points. "Uh-ohopefully he's not mad," Armstrong said, referring to Bonds. "It's nice to be recognized." Tiger Woods, who won the award 1999 and 2000, finished third for the second year in a row. He received e votes and seven 110 points. Armstrong's comeback has given him the platform to lead campaigns against cancer. He started the Lance Armstrong Foundation, which funds cancer research, and fills his rare free time with vote-gette-rs first-plac- first-plac- h, first-plac- public-awarene- ss hospital visits and fund-raisin- g speeches. While he has no stump speech, his message is the same: Cancer made him the person he is today. "When I came back, I said if I ever get a chance to do this, I'm going to give it everything. I'm going to train correctly, eat right. I'm not going to mess up," he said. "That's why I say all the time that the illness is the best thing that ever happened to me. "I would never have won one Tour de France if I hadn't had it. No doubt." Winning one Tour would have secured his place in cycling history. Capturing four in row put him among the greatest riders ever. A victory in 2003 - the AP 100th anniversary of the race would tie the record of five. Spain's Miguel Indurain (1991-95- ) is the only rider to win five in a row. Armstrong raced in three of Indurain's victories and holds the Spaniard in high regard. "He was an incredible time trialist, the best that ever lived," Armstrong said. "I can win a time trial today, but I would do it by seconds. He could win by a couple of minutes." , Armstrong was a time-trispecialist himself before the cancer. It was during his recovery that he amazingly turned himself into a domi-nat- i QLO Jr n I' nf if''' 1 J ' or on the Tour's punish- ing mountain stages, where his breakaways up steep climbs separate him from the rest of the pack. Tour officials already have added mountain stages for the 2003 race, but there are fewer severely steep climbs. That still bodes well for the g Armstrong win-nin- No. 5. While he's already eyeing a possible sixth title in '04, Armstrong won't get caught daydreaming. "The illness taught me to focus on what's going on now," he said. Away from his bike and his cancer-relate- d work, Armstrong is a proud family man. He met wife Kristin while taking chemotherapy. His son, Luke, was born in 1999, when Armstrong won his first Tour. Twin girls Isabelle and Grace were born last year. It's his family, and the realization that he almost never had one, that drives Armstrong. "Seeing your kids tomorrow isn't guaranteed," Armstrong said. "Look at this life like it's a gift. That's the way I try to view my life, my as a gift." family ' tt u Money saving toupons m sunaay s uauy iieraia if I al - I " n n J f T m KK UK JUNO I lit- AsMKiali.il I'ns Lance Armstrong, shown above riding past the Arc de Triomphe during the final stage of the 2002 Tour de France, has been named the AP Male Athlete of the Year. At right, Armstrong celebrates his fourth Tour de France victory. the illness will never A downside to his riding dominance is that it raised suspicions among French media and officials that always have go. I'll that tag." RECENT WINNERS - Armstrong and the Postal Service team were U.S. Lance Armstrong, cycling 2002 2001 Barry Bonds, baseball 2000 -- Tiger Woods, golf 1999 -- Tiger Woods, golf 1998 Mark McGwire, baseball 1997 Tiger Woods, golf 1996 Michael Johnson, track and field 1995 Cal Ripken, baseball 1994 George Foreman, boxing 1993 Michael Jordan, basketball 1992 Michael Jordan, basketball 1991 Michael Jordan, basketball 1990 Joe Montana, football 1989 Joe Montana, football 1988 Orel Hershiser, baseball 1987 Ben Johnsj using performance-enhancin- g substances. Heckled by fans during last year's race, Armstrong takhas repeatedly denied ing banned substances and has never failed a doping test. French authorities in September closed a investigation because of a lack of evidence. iiHi9aflrEfrTBird,,bastetball Cancer, however, .Tf. 1&5 - Dwieht GoodeiCBaseball mately gave Armstrong the 1984 - Carl lewis, track and field thing he's maybe most 1983 - Carl Lewis, track and field 1982 - Wayne Gretzky, hockey proud of: the label of surtennis-1981 - John , two-ye- ar McEnroe, vivor. "Sports will come and go, and I will be forgotten," he said. "But something like I K I i i ' WWW . 1980 - U.S. Olympic Hockey Team x Both male and female winners were from . the same sport ' .'Mi (P,rutiroiimninuicc-irfitt)iir!.(- tonao C 1 1 monk o oo v f,. sponsors for their support during the 2001 - 2002 school year to owr Newspapers-In-Educatio- n Vv.. IHC Utah Valley Regional Medical Center civ y4 REALTOR Utah County Association Of Realtors Service wy of Intcrmountain Health Care ... THE DAILY HERALD The Daily Herald Newspaper in Education o ' For information on how to become (( ; HI U Hi (I U (0) jj II U H ( 1 ( ft a t Newspaper-ln-Educatio- n Call 344-292- 5 sponsor |
