MX Star Fiolek Nominated for Award

Fiolek, born deaf, has had a phenomenal first year as a pro. The 17-year-old rider currently holds the lead in the Womens Motocross Association Championship and could wrap up the title at the American Motocross Festival at Steel City Raceway in Delmont, Pa. on Aug. 30.

The St. Augustine, Fla., resident joins nine other athletes nominated for the Sportswoman of the Year awards Individual category including 200m Olympic champion Veronica Campbell-Brown, eleven-time Olympic medalist (including six at the Beijing Games) Natalie Coughlin, five-time Olympic medalist Nastia Liukin, top-ranked LPGA golfer Lorena Ochoa and American skiing star Lindsey Vonn.

Being recognized alongside Olympic gold medalists and seasoned professionals in mainstream sports is so exciting, says Fiolek who races for American Honda. I would love to win, but just to be placed alongside these women is a big accomplishment.

Previous winners of the Sportswoman of the Year award include gymnast Mary Lou Retton, tennis players Venus and Serena Williams and Sports Illustrated for Womens greatest athlete of the 20th century, Jackie Joyner-Kersee.

Fioleks nomination is an achievement for deaf athletes and also for motocross racing.

This is an amazing achievement for Ashley and motocross in general, says Dominica Keller, president of the Womens Motocross Association. Having a motocross athlete nominated alongside Olympians shows the strength of our sport and the recognition of the sacrifices and hard work of our athletes.

Voting for the Sportswoman of the Year award is conducted online at http://www.womenssportsfoundation.org/ until midnight, Sept. 2. The winner of the Individual and Team Sportswoman of the Year awards will be announced at the Annual Salute to Women in Sports Awards Dinner, in New York, NY, Oct. 14.

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