Show The TheU US U.S. Olympic Spirit Awards By Dan Staff Writer Former New York City mayor Rudolph Giuliani honorary co- co chair of the 2002 US U.S. Olympic Spirit Award Selection Committee announced the for this prestigious award Feb at a press conference conference conference con con- ference here in Salt Lake City Introduced as The mayor to the planet by Utah governor Michael Leavitt Giuliani touched on the events of September 11 th and the American spirit before announcing announcing announcing ing the award nominees Theres no question that for me its it's a very very emotional experience Giuliani said of the opportunity to present an award based on turning adversity into success after having witnessed what happened on Sept 11 th not just to my myown myown myown own city and my own country but to the citizens of 83 different countries who died in that terrible terrible terrible terri terri- ble attack An attack in many ways on the entire world Giuliani was the mayor of New York City on Sept lIth 2001 the day the World Trade Towers fell by an act of terrorism terrorism terrorism terror terror- ism killing nearly people We saw the American spirit demonstrated in the way in which America with great resiliency and great strength dealt with the worst attack on the US U.S. ever Giuliani contin contin- All of these athletes- athletes the ones that are part of the nominating nominating nominating nomi nomi- committee and the election election election elec elec- tion committee and those who have been nominated in their PAGE 9 f rf r Y r a W r 1 r rS n E k t. t i S TAN f w k Ni Y ri 1 ft i It Rd o h b r J t P 9 W Y Kr d if n. Y P i 5 i u i c rV i r 7 l r O k kr v I M i f Mf M fJ g G f ft t if ift r R W U ii I Q t Ky S 1 1 w M. M y v 5 r. r f v w 1 i iJ J 4 iio v t-v Z J. J I I. I t c ili 1 rr r X 1 0 ill v KJ V N 41 t o q t Y Lj f w Y o Lk Rudolph Giuliani and Utah Governer Mike Leavitt photo by Dan own way demonstrated that spirit and exemplify it for us Keeping things light Giuliani later smiled as he made reference to the controversies over some of the sporting events Coming from New York this is nothing Give me a break The Yankees and the Mets have more arguments and fights than this in one game than you had in the whole Olympics Lets not get too sensitive about this Boy oh boy Its It's sports The 2002 Olympic Spirit Award nominees include Chris Klug first Olympic to have undergone an organ transplant Lea Ann Parsley a firefighter from Ohio Derek Parra who put his family including his pregnant wife and newborn baby on hold for months while he trained and eventually won the gold medal Sarah Hughes who when faced with a certain bronze medal ne never never br quit and gave the performance perform perform- ance of her life earning her the gold n x J Jill ill Bakken Vonetta Flowers Americas America's come come- from come from behind gold medal bobsled team Jim Shea Jr a third-generation third Olympian whose grandfather was killed days before the Olympics by a drunk driver and who carried a picture of his grandfather in his helmet during his gold medal run Apolo Anton Ohno whose father knew the value of sports in turning around a troubled teen Todd Eldredge who finished his v C n r 0 77 career at the 2002 games Chris Witty who competed while suffering from mono Picabo Street a winter sports legend who while not winning any medals this Olympics retired gracefully blowing kisses to fans and family and said she fulfilled her dream of ending her career on American soil Michelle Kwan who while in search of a gold medal fell in inthe inthe the long program but continued with the drive and confidence of ofa a true p J y |