For Immediate Release

November 20, 2006

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The U.S. Olympic Committee today announced fencer Rebecca Ward and archer Reo Wilde as its October Athletes of the Month.  The USOC Team of the Month was awarded to the U.S. Synchronized Swimming Team.

On October 2, 16-year-old Ward became the new World Champion of women's saber.  Ward (Beaverton, Ore.) beat 2004 Olympic gold medalist -- and clubmate -- Mariel Zagunis, 15-11, in the final for the win.  Ward became the first fencer in history to hold the Cadet, Junior, and Senior World Championship title in a single season. She won the World Under-17 and World Under-20 titles in April.  This is the first time a U.S. fencer has brought home an individual women's saber World Championship medal. Zagunis and Ward are members of the same fencing club, Oregon Fencing Alliance, in Beaverton, Ore., and share the same coach -- Ed Korfanty (Portland, Ore.)

Wilde (Pocatello, Idaho) claimed the men’s compound title at the first ever FITA Archery World Cup final October 22 in Mexico.  Wilde, who also won the gold medal at the first leg of the 2006 World Cup in Croatia, defeated El Salvador’s Jorge Jimenez 118-115 in the semifinals, and then advanced to the finals where he faced Peter Elzinga (Netherlands).  Wilde took the match after shooting a perfect score of 120 to Elzinga’s 115, to claim the gold medal and secure his No. 1 ranking overall in the men’s compound category.

The U.S. Synchronized Swimming Team recently traveled to Moscow, Russia to compete in the inaugural FINA World Trophy Cup, Oct. 27-29. The United States unveiled its combo routine and dazzled the crowd with a gold-medal performance in the combination event. The U.S. has not found itself in gold medal position during a major international competition (FINA World Cup, FINA World Championships, Olympic Games) since the 1996 Olympic Games.

Second place for the women went to cyclist Sarah Hammer (Temecula, Calif.). Hammer swept all three endurance events at the 2006 USA Cycling Elite National Championships -- the individual pursuit, the points race and the scratch race -- but her national record in the Women's 3km Individual Pursuit was the most notable win. Hammer clocked a time of 3:32.856 to best Rebecca Twigg's record of 3:36.08 set in 1995.  Hammer's time was also a new track record at the ADT Event Center Velodrome at the Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif., as well as a new personal best.  Hammer's previous personal best was a 3:37.194, a mark she set in the qualifying round of the 2006 UCI World Championships before winning the world title later that day. 

Gymnast Jana Bieger (Coconut Creek, Fla.) was third place in the voting as she was one of the USA’s biggest medal winner at the 2006 World Championships in Aarhus, Denmark, claiming the silver medal in the all-around and floor exercise to go with the women’s team silver.  One week later, she won the uneven bars and floor exercise gold medals at the DTB-Pokal, a World Cup event held in Stuttgart, Germany.

Gymnast Alexander Artemev (Denver, Colo.) took second in the men’s vote. Artemev is the first U.S. gymnast to earn a world pommel horse medal since Kurt Thomas was second at the 1979 World Championships.  Artemev executed a nearly flawless routine, complete with impressive flair sequence, and earned at 15.550 to claim the bronze medal at the 2006 World Championships in Aarhus, Denmark.

Cyclist (BMX) Donny Robinson (Napa, Calif.) was third in the men's vote.  In the newest Olympic sport, Robinson captured the overall BMX World Cup title on Oct. 7 with his win at the Supercross World Cup Race in Roc d' Azur, France.

The U.S. Women's Gymnastics Team took home second-place honors for the team award. The U.S. women earned the team silver medal at the 2006 World Championships in Denmark, Aarhus, finishing just .850 behind China. The U.S. women had their best performances on the floor exercise and had the best team score for the event.  The U.S. women have won a team medal at every major team competition since 2000.

The pairs team of Rena Inoue and John Baldwin (Santa Monica, Calif.) took third place for the team vote. The pairs figure skaters won their first-ever ISU Grand Prix event title at the 2006 Skate America in Hartford, Conn.  The 2006 Olympic pairs skaters won by more than eight points and beat seven other teams from four countries.  This was the first Pairs Skate America title won by a U.S. team since 1991.  Inoue and Baldwin also received credit for attempting their signature throw triple axel, of which they are still the only pairs team in the world to ever land the element.

Results (first place votes in parentheses)

Women

1. Rebecca Ward 44 (12)

2. Sarah Hammer 31 (5)

3. Jana Bieger 29 (4)

Also receiving first-place votes: Jamie Beyerle (shooting), Kristine Lilly (soccer) and Ronda Rousey (judo).

Men

1. Reo Wilde 30 (7)

2. Alexander Artemev 28 (8)

3. Donny Robinson 16 (2)

Also receiving first-place votes: Shawn Flarida (equestrian), Tony Graf (taekwondo), Ryan Hall (track & field) and Evan Lysacek (figure skating).

Team

1. U.S. Synchronized Swimming Team 40 (4)

2. U.S. Women's Gymnastics Team 37 (6)

3. Pairs Figure Skaters Rena Inoue & John Baldwin 35 (6)

Also receiving first-place votes: U.S. Women's Field Hockey Team, U.S. Junior World Championship Compound Team. 

For more information, please contact the USOC Media & Public Relations Division at

(719) 866-4529.