Valarie Allman named 2024 Colorado Sportswoman of the Year

Valarie Allman is the queen of Colorado sports activities as soon as once more.

Allman, who grew to become the primary American girl to win two Olympic gold medals in discus final summer time in Paris, was named the Colorado Sportswoman of the Yr by Sportswomen of Colorado on Sunday evening.

It marks the second such honor for Allman, who was additionally Sportswoman of the Yr following her Olympic triumph in Tokyo in 2021. In Paris, the Silver Creek graduate topped China’s Bin Feng and Croatia’s Sandra Elkasević with a successful throw of 69.50 meters. She then went on to win the Diamond League ultimate in September, capping her good season.

“This final summer time in Paris, (one other gold) was my large dream,” Allman stated in her acceptance speech. “I had considered it a lot — to have my household there, to have my fiance (and coach Zeb Sion) there, to have the total stadium filled with power there — and to have it repay was so extremely particular.”

Allman first attended the Sportswomen of Colorado banquet as a senior in highschool, an expertise that she stated stoked her discus goals.

“To stroll into that banquet and listen to about girls who had been on the Olympics, or breaking information, or who had been a lot additional alongside of their journey and had that maturity and confidence, it was superb to have the ability to have these up-close experiences with them,” Allman advised The Publish. “It helped me notice what I aspired to be.”

With the victory in Paris, Allman grew to become solely the third thrower ever to win consecutive Olympic golds, becoming a member of Elkasević and East Germany’s Evelin Jahl. Allman, a former Stanford star who was a six-time All-American there plus a two-time Pac-12 discus champion, can be the one American girl to medal at a number of World Athletics Championships.

Allman stays the No. 1-ranked discus thrower on the planet, in keeping with World Athletics. The aggressive dancer-turned-thrower additionally holds the highest 13 marks ever thrown by an American girl.

On the high of her recreation, the 30-year-old is intent on making a push to win a 3rd gold medal on the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics — a feat that’s by no means been finished.

“To be the most effective on the planet, you must at all times have that north star of what you’re aiming for, and for me (a 3rd gold) is unquestionably the place we’re attempting to go and attain,” Allman advised The Publish. “To have the ability to be within the battle, be wholesome and have a shot to make historical past by going for yet one more gold could be the last word ending to my story in athletics.”

By successful a second Colorado Sportswoman of the Yr, Allman turns into the seventh athlete to assert the dignity a number of occasions. The others are bike owner Connie Carpenter-Phinney, soccer participant/coach April Heinrichs, swimmer Amy Van Dyken, runner Jenny Simpson, swimmer Missy Franklin and skier Mikaela Shiffrin, who holds the report with six nods.

“This was actually one of many first awards I’ve ever gained that made me really feel like my little area of interest sport was one thing greater than myself,” Allman advised The Publish. “This a few years later, to have the ability to have that second once more, feels superb.”

A Historical past of Colorado Sportswoman of the Yr

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