Team USA Awards 2016 winners revealed

Two Paralympians and one US Paralympic team were recognised for their remarkable performances at Rio 2016. 29 Sep 2016

Tatyana McFadden of the USA winning the Gold Medal in the Women's 400m - T54 Final in the Olympic Stadium. at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games.

ⒸBob Martin for OIS.

By United States Olympic Committee

The United States Olympic Committee (USOC) has announced the 2016 winners for the Team USA Awards presented by Dow, Best of the Games, recognising Team USA’s outstanding performances and awe-inspiring achievements from the Rio 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games in the following six categories:

- Female Athlete of the Paralympic Games, presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods – Tatyana McFadden, athletics

- Male Athlete of the Paralympic Games, presented by The Hartford – Brad Snyder, swimming

- Team of the Paralympic Games, presented by Dow – US women’s sitting volleyball team

- Female Athlete of the Olympic Games, presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods – Katie Ledecky, swimming

- Male Athlete of the Olympic Games – Michael Phelps, swimming

- Team of the Olympic Games, presented by Dow – US women’s gymnastics team

The awards were presented during a live taping of the ceremony, held Thursday (29 September) at Georgetown University’s McDonough Arena in Washington, DC. The awards show – which featured co-hosts Akbar Gbajabiamila and Matt Iseman from NBC’s Emmy nominated series American Ninja Warrior – will be televised on NBC Sports Network (NBCSN) on 4 October from 10-11 pm ET (4-5 pm CEST).

The six athletes and team award winners were determined by online fan voting at TeamUSA.org/Awards, where nearly 400,000 fan votes determined 50 per cent of the final tally. Members of the Olympic and Paralympic family – including an esteemed panel of Olympic and Paralympic journalists – accounted for the other 50 per cent.

Female Athlete of the Paralympic Games, presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods

Tatyana McFadden, athletics

McFadden won a medal in all six of the individual events she entered, winning four golds and two silvers in Rio. She won gold in the 400m, 800m, 1,500m and 5,000m and silver in the 100m T54 and marathon.

Male Athlete of the Paralympic Games, presented by The Hartford

Brad Snyder, swimming

Snyder took home three gold medals and tied for silver, giving him a total of four medals in Rio. He defended his Paralympic titles in the 400m and 100m freestyle events, while breaking a 30-year-old world record in the 100m freestyle S11.

Team of the Paralympic Games, presented by Dow

US women’s sitting volleyball team

The US women’s sitting volleyball team made history by winning its first Paralympic gold medal with a victory over perennial power China. The US went 4-1 in the tournament, outscoring opponents 407-225 and winning by an average of 11.07 points per set.

More information on the 2016 Team USA Awards presented by Dow, Best of the Games, can be found on the USOC’s website.