Speedskater Sheila Young Ochowicz receives nomination

Two-time speedskating Olympian Sheila Young Ochowicz (Palo Alto, CA) was selected as one of 15 individual finalists to be considered for induction into the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame. Presented by the United States Olympic Committee and Allstate Insurance Company, Ochowicz's nomination was announced at a press event at the Palmer House Hilton in Chicago along with the nomination of five Olympic teams and five Paralympians.

Attending the announcement was Allstate chairman, president and CEO, Tom Wilson, USOC acting CEO Stephanie Streeter, Chicago 2016 chairman and CEO Patrick Ryan, and U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame member John Naber.

"The U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame celebrates our honorees' commitment to excellence and recognizes Americans who are role models and heroes," Wilson said. "Each of us can find strength, passion and inspiration in these ordinary people who achieved extraordinary success in the Olympics. They help make us proud to be Americans."

Ochowicz began her sports career at just 8 years old, competing in both speedskating and cycling, and later went on to become the first U.S. athlete to win three medals at one Winter Olympic Games. The two-time Olympian won 6 World Championships in cycling and speed skating combined over the course of her career. As a speedskater, Sheila participated in the 1972 Olympic Games in Sapporo, Japan, and at the 1976 Winter Olympic Games in Innsbruck, Austria, where she took home gold in the 500m (setting an Olympic record), silver in the 1500m and bronze in the 1000m.

"It's truly an honor to be recognized for my Olympic accomplishments and included among this prestigious list of Olympians," Ochowicz said.

Some of her many accomplishments include becoming the first woman to skate the 500m in less than 42 seconds and the first American woman to win the World Sprint Championships three times in 1973, 1975 and 1976. Ochowicz has been elected to the U.S. Bicycling Hall of Fame, the Amateur Skating Union Hall of Fame and the International Women's Sports Hall of Fame. She was named "Sportswoman of the Year" by the USOC in 1976 and 1981 for her accomplishments in both speedskating and cycling.

Five-time speedskating Olympic gold-medalist Bonnie Blair Cruikshank enthusiastically supported the nomination of Ochowicz and said, "There are few athletes in the world who can be competitive at a world class level in two sports. With Sheila winning three medals in the sport of speedskating and world champion on the sport of track cycling, she well deserves to be inducted into the hall of fame for the USOC."

Ochowicz's actions off the ice demonstrate her true belief in the Olympic movement. As a founding member of the Women's Sports Foundation, Sheila served as a lobbyist for women's cycling and passionately promoted its inclusion in the Olympic Games. She also served on the United States Olympic Committee as an athlete representative from 1980 - 1988.

Through June 16, fans can cast their votes for the 2009 class of the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame online at www.teamusa.org . The inductees will be revealed in early July and will be honored at a black-tie induction ceremony on August 12 at McCormick Place in Chicago. Five individuals, one Paralympian and one team will be inducted at the event.