Women’s Honor Shared By Two

Swimmer Amy Van Dyken dedicated her four gold medals to all the “nerds” out there.

Olympic basketball gold medalist Teresa Edwards, a pioneer in the new U.S. women’s professional basketball league, is grateful to her teammates.

Monday, they shared Sportswoman of the Year at the Women’s Sports Foundation’s 17th annual dinner.

Van Dyken, the first U.S. woman to win four gold medals in a single Olympics, was chosen in the individual category. Edwards, the first U.S. basketball player, male or female, to participate in four Olympics (1984-1996), was honored in the team category.

“Now I have people running up to me on the streets saying, ‘Amy, I was a nerd too,”’ she said, laughing.

Van Dyken, 23, said her Olympic victories more than made up for the days when, as an asthmatic, she was ridiculed by her high school teammates for being too lanky and slow.

“People can stomp you down and say, ‘You really shouldn’t be doing this, you’re not very good at it.’ But if you love something and keep pursuing it, good things can happen,” she said.

Edwards, who read the athlete’s oath at the opening ceremonies, led the U.S. women to the final gold medal of the Centennial Games. The Americans sailed past Brazil, the defending world champions, to re-establish themselves as the premier basketball power.

“I have a lot of teammates to thank for this,” said Edwards, the first American basketball player to win three gold medals. The U.S. won the bronze in 1992.

Edwards, 32, one of seven Olympians who are founding members of the new American Basketball League, said she wants to see the league get on its feet before retiring in a year or two.

“I want the league to set a stable foundation and make a lasting impression,” she said. “I’m willing to do whatever it takes to make … (it) happen for little girls. To have the opportunity to stay home and get paid for something you love so dearly is really awesome.”

Among others honored were Olympic champion Jackie Joyner-Kersee, who received the first Wilma Rudolph Courage Award, and Anita DeFrantz, on the International Olympic Committee Executive Board, the Billie Jean King Contribution Award.

Inducted into the International Women’s Sports Hall of Fame were three-time Olympic track athlete Mae Faggs Starr and long-distance swimmer Florence Chadwick in the pioneer category, and Olympic speedskater Dianne Holum in the coaches category.