Fresh off their bronze medal performances in the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, Maia and Alex Shibutani have made the semi-finals for the annual Amateur Athletic Union James E Sullivan Award.
The award which has been given out since 1930 honors the outstanding amateur athlete of the United States, and is based not only on athletic accomplishment, but also leadership, sportsmanship and character.
How can you not love the ShibSibs? #Shibutani4Sullivan pic.twitter.com/tfGftiO0Qd
— Asheanna/Nina Lee (@ninjjalee) March 14, 2018
Known as the Shib Sibs, the Shibutanis are one of 28 semi-finalists and the only Asian Americans up for consideration.
Past winners include Olympic swimming legend Sammy Lee, the first Asian American man to win an Olympic gold medal and the first Olympian to win back to back gold medals in platform diving.
Michelle Kwan won the Sullivan Award in 2001. She is a two-time Olympic medalist and five time World Champion.
Members of the public can also vote for the awards. Voting is open through March 20. You are allowed to vote once each day.
.@MaiaShibutani and @AlexShibutani are semifinalists for the 88th AAU James E. Sullivan Award! ? Vote now and tweet #Shibutani4Sullivan (retweets count) to help get the @ShibSibs to the next round.
Voting closes March 20: https://t.co/0Tp9etxRtp pic.twitter.com/0cIISVYnFa
— U.S. Figure Skating (@USFigureSkating) March 14, 2018
Those wishing to vote for the Shibutanis can vote here.
Last month, they became the first ice dancers of Asian descent to ever medal at the Winter Olympics and the first American sibling ice dance team to win an Olympic medal and just the second world wide.
The pair won a bronze in both the team competition and pairs competition.
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