Marion Jones And Tiger Woods Named AP Athletes Of The Year For 2000

Jet, Jan 15, 2001

The awards keep coming for two of 2000's most recognized athletes. Track-and-field star Marion Jones and golfer Tiger Woods have been chosen as the Associated Press (AP) Male and Female Athletes of the Year.

Jones, 24, became the first female athlete to win five medals in one Olympiad. She won gold in the 100 and 200 meters and the 4x400 relay and bronze medals in the long jump and 4x100 relay at the Sydney Olympics.

In balloting by sportswriters and broadcasters, Jones received 27 first-place votes and 112 points, just beating tennis champ Venus Williams. Jones was the 10th woman track-and-field athlete to win the honor since the award was inaugurated in 1931 and the first since the late Florence Griffith Joyner in 1988.

Woods, 25, was a repeat winner of the award. With his incredible season of nine victories, three straight majors and the career Grand Slam, Woods joined basketball great Michael Jordan as the only three-time winner of the AP award since its beginning.

He received 47 first-place votes and 160 points from sportswriters and broadcasters to easily defeat back-to-back Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong.

Woods became the sixth player to win the honor in consecutive years.