Jamaica's Usain Bolt and Shelly Ann Fraser-Pryce dominate 2013 AIPS America awards

Usain Bolt and Shelly Ann Fraser-Pryce. Photo/Getty Images

By Gabriel Cazenave, President AIPS America

ASUNCION, Paraguay, December 28, 2013 - The Jamaican sprinters Usain Bolt and Shelly Ann Fraser-Pryce were elected Best Athletes of America in 2013 by AIPS America, the American continental arm of AIPS through the vote of their national associations. Bolt wins the award for the second consecutive year, while Fraser-Pryce edged out North American tennis player Serena Williams in a second round of voting following a first round tie. Other male athletes who received votes were the Mexican gymnast Daniel Corral, the Colombian soccer player Radamel Falcao Garcia and the Cuban judoka Ashley Gonzalez. Among the women were Colombian jumper Catherine Ibarguen and the Ecuadorian weightlifter Alexandra Escobar. BEST TEAM The Dominican Republic's baseball team was voted best team of 2013 ahead of the football teams of Brazil, Colombia and Ecuador's champion team, Emelec. BEST PRESS FACILITIES The AIPS America 2013 award for the Best Press Center was the one of the Cali World Games in Colombia, ahead of the Olympic Basketball Qualifying tournament of the Americas in Caracas, Venezuela.