INDIANAPOLIS, Ind., Jan. 17, 2008 – The U.S. Women’s World Championships Team that won the team world title was selected as the 2007 U.S. Olympic Committee's Team of the Year for its accomplishments at the 2007 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Stuttgart, Germany.

"We appreciate the U.S. Olympic Committee’s recognition of our women’s outstanding accomplishments at the World Championships," said Steve Penny, president of USA Gymnastics. "We believe that their incredible performance in 2007 has set the stage for a great Olympic year."

The U.S. women won the team gold medal, just the second ever for the USA and the first team title won at a World Championships held outside of the United States. The U.S. Women’s Team brought home seven medals total – four gold, two silver and one bronze – from the World Championships for its most successful performance ever at a team world championships. The U.S. women qualified for the 2008 Olympic Games with their performance at the World Championships.

The members of the U.S. Women’s Team were: Ivana Hong of Blue Springs, Mo.; Shawn Johnson of West Des Moines, Iowa; Nastia Liukin of Parker, Texas; Samantha Peszek of Indianapolis, Ind.; Alicia Sacramone of Winchester, Mass.; Bridget Sloan of Pittsboro, Ind.; and Shayla Worley of Orlando, Fla.

Johnson is just one of four U.S. women to win the coveted all-around world title, joining Kim Zmeskal (1991), Shannon Miller (1993-94) and Chellsie Memmel (2005). She also won the floor exercise world gold medal.

Liukin claimed the gold medal on balance beam and the silver on the uneven bars, bringing her career world medal total to nine (four gold and five silver) and tying the mark of nine world medals held by Shannon Miller, who has earned more world and Olympic medals than any other U.S. gymnast (16 total). Sacramone earned the silver medal on floor exercise and the bronze on vault, bringing her career world medal tally to seven (two gold, three silver and two bronze).

Sprinter Tyson Gay, swimmer Katie Hoff and wheelchair track and field athlete Jessica Galli were chosen as the SportsMan, SportsWoman and Paralympian of the Year, respectively. Swimmer Michael Phelps and track and field athlete Allyson Felix were recognized as the recipients of the first-ever USOC Outstanding Performance of the Year award.

The USOC SportsMan and SportsWoman of the Year awards have been presented annually since 1974 to the top overall male and female athlete from within the USOC member organizations. The team award was added in 1996 and the Paralympian of the Year was awarded for the first time in 2004. Winners are selected from the individual female and male athlete of the year and team of the year nominations of the USOC and National Governing Bodies for the Olympic, Pan American, Affiliated and Disabled Sports Organizations within the U.S. Olympic Movement.