2004 Olympic bronze medalist wrestler Rulon Gardner (Cascade, Colo./Sunkist Kids) has been selected as a finalist for the U.S. Olympic Spirit Award.    The U.S. Olympic Spirit Award was created in 1968 and is given to athletes who best exemplify the spirit of Olympic competition and exhibit outstanding Olympic values such as courage, commitment, perseverance and achievement at the Olympic Games.     Gardner won a bronze medal at 120 kg/264.5 lbs. in men's Greco-Roman wrestling. It was his second career Olympic medal, to go along with a gold medal won at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia. After winning his bronze-medal match, Gardner went through the traditional retirement ceremony in international wrestling, leaving his shoes behind on the mat, and tearfully waving to the applause of the crowd.    The other two men finalists are gymnast Paul Hamm and swimmer Michael Phelps. The women finalists are triathlete Barb Lindquist, marathon runner Deena Kastor and beach volleyball teammates Kerri Walsh and Misty May.    Fans can vote online for this award between August 30 and Sept. 13 by visiting www.usolympicteam.com or by visiting the following link:    http://www.nuskinusa.com/bp/static/spirit_award.html    Gardner won the U.S. Olympic Spirit Award in 2000 after the Sydney Olympics, when he defeated three-time Olympic champion and previously undefeated Alexandre Kareline of Russia in the finals. He is looking to become the second athlete to win this award twice, joining speedskater Dan Jansen, who won in 1988 and 1994.    Two wrestlers have won the award, Gardner in 2000 and Olympic Greco-Roman champion Jeff Blatnick in 1984.    Winners will be announced after the voting closes on September 13, 2004. At that time, Nu Skin Enterprises will give $2,000 to U.S. Olympic-related charities in each award recipient's name.     Those that vote online for the award also enter for a chance to win a basket of $2,004* worth of Nu Skin® and Pharmanex® product by voting for the 2004 U.S. Olympic Spirit Award nominees.    "The purpose of the U.S. Olympic Spirit Award is to recognize those athletes whose extraordinary contributions to the spirit of the Olympic Games inspire us all," said Nu Skin chief executive Truman Hunt. "Whether they win Olympic gold or not, the U.S. Olympic Spirit Award nominees win our admiration and respect."    The biography of Rulon Gardner, as posted on USOlympicteam.com, is as follows:    Rulon Gardner    Rulon was a 2000 U.S. Olympic Spirit Award winner after his upset of Aleksander Karelin in Greco-Roman wrestling in Sydney. Aleksander Karelin was a three-time gold medalist and was unbeaten in thirteen years leading up to Sydney. As a result of this historic win, the reserved Wyoming farm boy quickly became an American hero and a wrestling legend. In March 2002, Rulon survived a snowmobile accident that left him stranded in the wilderness overnight that resulted in severely frostbitten feet and the amputation of his toe. Additionally, in early 2004, Rulon suffered a wrist injury during a pick-up basketball game and suffered other injuries during a motorcycle accident, just weeks before the Olympic Team Trials for Wrestling. Despite these injuries and pressure to again make the U.S. Olympic team and defend his gold medal, Rulon defeated some tough opponents and grabbed bronze in Athens. Immediately following this bronze medal match, Rulon took off his wrestling shoes and placed them in the middle of the mat, signifying his retirement from the sport of wrestling, a sport he loved and competed in for 15 plus years.    Past U.S. Olympic Spirit Award winners:    * 1968 Billy Kidd and Bob Beamon   * 1972 Mike Curran and Dave Wottle   * 1976 Andy Mill and Margaret Murdock   * 1980 Tai Babilonia and Randy Gardner   * 1984 Scott Hamilton and Jeff Blatnick   * 1988 Greg Louganis and Dan Jansen   * 1992 Gail Devers and Paul Wylie   * 1994 Dan Jansen  * 1996 Carl Lewis and Kerri Strug   * 2000 Laura Wilkinson and Rulon Gardner  * 2002 Chris Klug and Vonetta Flowers/Jill Bakken