Olympian Ariana Kukors of Auburn is among the nominees for Female Sports Star of the Year, the Seattle Sports Commission announced.
Kukors joins fellow Olympians Mary Whipple (rowing), Marti Malloy (judo) and Jennie Reed (cycling) and Katie Flood, a champion cross country and track runner for the University of Washington, as nominees for the honor.
Categorical award winners will be announced at the 78th annual MTR Western Sports Star of the Year event Friday at Benaroya Hall, downtown Seattle. Created by Royal Brougham and the Seattle Post-Intelligencer in 1936, the event has celebrated the achievements of Washington sports for nearly eight decades.
Kukors, a 2007 Auburn Mountainview graduate and Pac-10 champion at UW, finished fifth in the 200-meter individual medley final at the London Games on July 31.
Kukors, competing in her first Olympics, touched the wall in 2 minutes, 9.83 seconds.
She is the the world record holder in the IM.
The commission – comprised of local sports historians, media and others active in the sports industry – made the nominations.
Tickets to the show can be purchased at the Benaroya Hall Box Office, at www.benaroyahall.org, or by calling 206-215-4747. Premium tickets are $100, reserved are $80 and include access to the show and the VIP reception. Show-only tickets can be purchased for $35.
To learn more about the program, visit www.sportsstaroftheyear.org.
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NOMINEES
Professional Sports Star of the Year:
• Alex Morgan (Sounders Women FC)
• Marshawn Lynch (Seattle Seahawks)
• Eddie Johnson (Seattle Sounders FC)
• Kasey Kahne (NASCAR)
• Ryan Villopoto (Supercross)
Male Sports Star of the Year:
• Nathan Adrian (USA Swimming)
• Austin Seferian-Jenkins (University of Washington football)
• Chris Williams (University of Washington golf)
• Drew Snider (University of Maryland lacrosse)
• David DeCastro (Stanford University football)
Female Sports Star of the Year:
• Ariana Kukors (USA swimming)
• Mary Whipple (USA rowing)
• Katie Flood (University of Washington cross country and track)
• Marti Malloy (USA judo)
• Jennie Reed (USA cycling)
Sports Story of the Year:
• The Mariners’ Felix Hernandez throws perfect game.
• The University of Washington men’s rowing completes unbeaten season and sweeps the IRA Championships.
• Montesano High football goes from fire to state title.
• Bellevue High football wins 10th state championship.
• The Western Washington University basketball team wins the Division II national championship.
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