Posted: October 14, 2005

Athletics: News & Notes, Volume 6, Number 80

Ashford, Hayes elected to U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame

National Track & Field Hall of Famers Evelyn Ashford and Bob Hayes are among the newest selections to the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame, presented by Allstate.

Additional inductees of the 'Class of 2006' include Olympians Rowdy Gaines, Shannon Miller and Kristi Yamaguchi; Paralympian Diana Golden-Brosnihan; coach Herb Brooks; Jack Shea in the veterans category; and special contributor Dick Ebersol.

Evelyn Ashford won gold in both the 100 meters and the 4x100-meter relay at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games and was the silver medalist in the 100m in 1988 at Seoul, where she again was a member of the USA's gold medal-winning 4x100m relay. Ashford collected her third consecutive 4x100m relay Olympic gold medal at Barcelona in 1992 at 35. She was inducted into the National Track & Field Hall of Fame in 1997.

Called the "World's Fastest Human," Bob Hayes earned a pair of Olympic gold medals at the 1964 Tokyo Games. In addition to winning the 100 meters with a world-record-tying time, Hayes ran the anchor leg of the 4x100m relay, turning a three-meter deficit into a three-meter victory and new world record.As a member of the 1972 Super Bowl-winning Dallas Cowboys, Hayes became the only athlete to win both an Olympic gold medal and a Super Bowl ring. He was inducted into the National Track & Field Hall of Fame in 1976.

The 'Class of 2006' will be honored during the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame, presented by Allstate, Induction Ceremony, Dec. 8, 2005, in Chicago, Ill. at the Harris Theatre.

Additionally, a nationally-televised special will air early in 2006 to enable sports fans across the United States to relive the moments that catapulted the Class of 2006 inductees to U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame status. Broadcast details will be announced at a later date.

For more information on the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame, visit www.olympic-usa.org.