Wrestler Matt Lindland wins USOC Male Athlete of the Month for April

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Doug Haney (U.S. Olympic Committee)
05/04/2001


COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO. - The United States Olympic Committee today announced the April 2001 Athlete and Team of the Month Award winners.    Topping the voting in a tight men's race was Matt Lindland (Oregon City, Ore.), who won his fifth U.S. Nationals title in April.      Not only did Matt Lindland win his fifth U.S. Nationals title and the Male Athlete of the Month Award, he was also named Outstanding Wrestler at the 2001 U.S. National Greco-Roman Championships held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, Apr. 13-14 in Las Vegas, Nev.  The 2000 Olympic silver medalist moved up one weight class from where he achieved Olympic Glory, and was seeded No. 3 prior to the tournament where he defeated 2000 Olympic teammate Quincey Clark 4-3 for the gold.  But his true heroics may have been in the semifinals when he stormed back from a 8-0 deficit to win the match 12-8 against Olympic Team Trials runner-up Ethan Bosch.    Snatching second place honors in the male category was road cyclist George Hincapie (Greenville, S.C.) who became the first American ever to win the 63-year-old Ghent Wevelgem race in Belgium on Apr. 11. Throwing down the hammer with around 500-meters to go, Hincapie outlasted Leon van Bon and Steffen Wesemann in a photo finish for the win.  Four days later, Hincapie charged his way through the rain and mud to a fourth place finish at the prestigious Paris-Roubiax road race.  He was the highest American finisher in the race.    Winning the first National title of his career on the one-meter springboard at the 2001 U.S. National Diving Championships held Apr. 17-22 in Midland, Texas, Tom Davidson (Bloomington, Ind.) earned himself a spot on the National team and a third place finish for Male Athlete of the Month.  His victory coupled with a second place result on the three-meter springboard lifted Davidson to a spot on the 2001 World Championship team and the Goodwill Games team for both the one- and three-meter events.  For his efforts, fellow divers selected Davidson to receive the Athlete Performance award of the event.    On the women's end, Mariel Zagunis (Beaverton, Ore.), 16, won three gold medals at the Junior & Cadet World Fencing Championships in Gdansk, Poland to claim the Female Athlete of the Month. In the team competition, the 2001 Junior Men's Sabre Team defeated France 45-39 to win the ninth medal of the World Championships and the first ever U.S. gold medal in a men's team event at a World Championships.    U.S. Women's Nationals wrestling champion Toccara Montgomery (Cleveland, Ohio) received votes in the women's ballotting but did not place in the top three.    Results (first place points in parentheses)  Men  1.  Matt Lindland, Greco-Roman Wrestling 23 (12)  2.  George Hincapie, Cycling (road) 20 (12)  3.  Tom Davidson, Diving 15 (12)  Others receiving first place votes: Dwight Helminen, Ice Hockey; Hunter Kemper, Triathlon; Ivan James Lee II, Fencing; Apolo Anton Ohno, Short Track, Speedskating; Jason Read, Rowing; Andy Roddick, Tennis.    Women  1.  Mariel Zagunis, Fencing 36 (24)  2.  Cammi Granato, Ice Hockey 23 (12)  3.  Jennifer Capriati, Tennis 12 (9)  Others receiving first place votes: Alison Bartosik, Synchronized Swimming; Alison Dunlap, Cycling; Toccara Montgomery, Wrestling; Mary Obidinski, Rowing; Laura Reback, Triathlon; Kaitlin Sandeno, Swimming    Team  1.  2001 Junior Men's World Championship Sabre Team, Fencing 39 (27)  2.  2001 Men's 5000-meter World Championship Relay Team, Short Track Speedskating 35 (15)  3.  2001 U.S. Women's National Team, Ice Hockey 27 (12)  Others receiving first place votes: Women's Lightweight Double Sculls, Rowing; Steve Hunt and Michael Miller, Sailing