World champions gymnast Simone Biles and wrestler Jordan Burroughs were named the U.S. Olympic Committee’s athletes of the year at the Team USA Awards in Philadelphia on Thursday night.
Biles, 18, won four gold medals at the World Gymnastics Championships earlier this fall, including becoming the first woman to earn three straight World all-around titles. She will try to make her first Olympic team at the trials in July.
Burroughs, 27 and a 2012 Olympic champion, captured his third World title in the 74kg freestyle division on Sept. 12. He hopes to qualify for Rio at the trials in April.
The U.S. women’s soccer team that won the World Cup during the summer was named the USOC’s team of the year.
The awards, hosted by NBC’s Natalie Morales, will air Dec. 27 on NBCSN from 3-4 p.m. ET.
Full awards:
- Female Olympic Athlete of the Year – Simone Biles, Gymnastics
- Male Olympic Athlete of the Year – Jordan Burroughs, Wrestling
- Olympic Team of the Year – USA Women’s Soccer
- Female Paralympic Athlete of the Year – Tatyana McFadden, Track and Field
- Male Paralympic Athlete of the Year – Joe Berenyi, Cycling
- Paralympic Team of the Year – USA Hockey