On November 11th, Belgian Marino Vanhoenacker of the Commerzbank Triathlon Team received the Jim Thorpe All-Around Award at the United States Sports Academy. He earned this Award after breaking the Ironman world record that stood in place for 14 years, smashing it by more than four minutes to claim his sixth consecutive Ironman Austria title this year. He beat fellow Belgian Luc Van Lierde's time of 7:50.27 set in 1997 with his own time of 7:45:58.
The Jim Thorpe All-Around Award is presented to an individual who has demonstrated outstanding achievement in multiple sport and/or multiple events of the same sport. This individual should exhibit the qualities of versatility, strength, speed, flexibility, conditioning and training that exemplify superior athletic prowess.
"Nobody else represents athletic versatility and prowess like Jim Thorpe did in the early 20th century," Vanhoenacker said "I'm indescribably grateful and proud to be honoured with this award."
"Like Jim Thorpe before him, Marino has proven he is a great athlete in a sport that tests the limits of human performance and he very much deserves this Academy award."
Marino joins a list of well known athletes around the world including previous triathlon related winners Hunter Kemper (2005) and Natascha Badmann (2002).
Pictured in the photo are the United States Sports Academy's 2011 Awards of Sport recipients. From left to right on the top row are: Michael Haynes (Distinguished Service Award), Jack Lengyel (Trustee emeritus), Dr. Herb Appenzeller (Distinguished Service Award), and Anthony Robles (Juan Antonio Samaranch IOC President's Disabled Athlete Award). On the front row from left to right are: Ferenc Németh (2012 Sport Artist of the Year), Al Buehler (Jackie Robinson Humanitarian Award), Dr. Steve Devick (Dr. Ernst Jokl Sports Medicine Award), China Jude (Alumna of the Year), Dr. Ashfaq Ishaq (Distinguished Service Award), retired Air Force Brig. Gen. Paul Hankins (Distinguished Service Award), Marino Vanhoenacker (Jim Thorpe All-Around Award), and Joan Cronan (Carl Maddox Sports Management Award).
About the JIM THORPE ALL-AROUND AWARD:
The Jim Thorpe All-Around Award is presented to an individual who has demonstrated outstanding achievement in multiple sport and/or multiple events of the same sport. This individual should exhibit the qualities of versatility, strength, speed, flexibility, conditioning and training that exemplify superior athletic prowess.
Jim Thorpe was an Indian of the Sac and Fox tribe whose given name, "Bright Path," became a legend for his athletic prowess. His natural ability and versatility took him to the 1912 Olympic Games in Stockholm where he won both the pentathlon and decathlon events. Thorpe stood before the royal box during those games in Sweden as the king proclaimed to him, "Sir, you are the greatest athlete in the world." The extraordinarily talented athlete went on to make his mark in the annals of professional baseball and football.
About United States Sports Academy
The United States Sports Academy is an independent, non-profit, accredited, special mission sports university created to serve the nation and the world with programs in instruction, research and service. The role of the Academy is to prepare men and women for careers in the profession of sports.
www.ussa.edu
