Johnson, Devers Snag Track And Field’s Jesse Owens Awards

Michael Johnson, who this summer became the first man to win both the 200 and 400 meters at an Olympics, set another record Friday without even lacing up his gold shoes.

Johnson and Gail Devers, who successfully defended her Olympic crown in the women’s 100 meters, won the Jesse Owens Awards that annually are given to the top American athletes in track and field.

Johnson won his third consecutive Jesse Owens Award, the first athlete in the 15-year history of the award to accomplish that feat. Devers also won in 1993.

Johnson had 2,084 votes to easily defeat runner-up Dan O’Brien, the Olympic decathlon champion.

Devers, who has won the 100 meters in two straight Olympics and was the only American woman to win an individual gold medal at the Atlanta Games, got 1,994 votes. Gwen Torrence was second.

Earlier Friday, Johnson was named Athlete of the Year by Track & Field News and his Olympic feats were voted the top international sports story of 1996, narrowly beating out Evander Holyfield’s upset of Mike Tyson.