October 15, 2008 - Nastia Liukin won the Women’s Sports Foundation’s 2008 Sportswoman of the Year Award on Tuesday. Liukin won five Olympic gymnastics medals in Beijing including the most important — the all-around gold medal.
This year’s event delivered a dose of inspiration and awe when more than 70 of the planet’s top female athletes gathered at the Waldorf Astoria in New York City to celebrate the achievements of girls and women in sports. The event raised more than $1 million that will be turned into grants and educational and advocacy-related programming.
Jessica Mendoza, who was a part of the silver-medal U.S. Olympic softball team, was named Sportswoman of the Year for team athletes at the celebratory awards dinner.
Other honorees included Patience Knight, who won the Wilma Rudolph Courage Award for exhibiting extraordinary courage in her athletic performance and demonstrating the ability to overcome adversity.
The Billie Jean King Contribution Award was presented the Women’s Tennis Association for it’s significant contributions to the development and advancement of women’s sports in general and to the Women’s Sports Foundation specifically.
An tribute was also made to the All-American Girls’ Professional Baseball League players for their pioneering athleticism in the 1940s and 1950s. Five players from the league were given a standing ovation as they took the stage.
Kudos to the organizers, participants, and honorees!
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