Ledecky claims the prestigious title following her outstanding performances at the London 2012 Olympics, where she topped the podium in the 800 metres freestyle, and the International Aquatics Federation (FINA) World Championships in Barcelona, where she swam to four gold medals in the 400, 800 and 1500m and the 4x200m relay - breaking two world records on the way.

The 2013 USA Swimming Athlete of the Year became just the second woman in history and the first American to win the three freestyle races at a single World Championships, which saw her taking the FINA Trophy as the highest scoring female swimmer of the event, while her record 1500m finish earned her the Phillips 66 Performance of the Year Award.

Domestically, she claimed three national titles and became the country's first woman to qualify for the World Championships in the 200, 400, 800 and 1500m freestyle events.

Ted Ligety has been awarded the USOC sportsman of the year title after claiming three golds at the 2013 Alpine Skiing World Championships


Ligety finished the 2012-2013 season at the top of the giant slalom world rankings and third overall in the International Ski Federation (FIS) World Cup standings.

The Turin 2006 gold medallist and two-time Olympian claimed his fourth giant slalom overall title in March before winning his sixth giant slalom the following week to become only the second man in history to secure six or more golds in a single season.

He also went on to become only the fourth man in history - and the first in 45 years - to win three gold medals at the Alpine Skiing World Championships, when he topped the podium in the super-G, super combined and giant slalom.

The USOC team of the year award went to men's doubles tennis players Bob and Mike Bryan.

The world number one doubles team and the all-time most successful partnership in tennis history claimed the "Golden Slam" after the winning the 2013 Wimbledon doubles title, to become the first men's pairing in the Open-era to hold all four major titles - the 2012 US Open, 2013 Australia Open, 2013 French Open and Wimbledon.

The Bryan brothers, the USOC team of the year, are the all-time most successful
partnership in tennis history


The Bryan brothers also won gold at the London 2012 Olympics and went on to secure their 92nd tour level title - the most doubles titles for a team in the sport's history - when they triumphed at the 2013 US Open series event in Cincinnati, which saw them clinch the year end number one Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) doubles team ranking for a record ninth time.

The sports stars will be presented with their awards during a special reception in New York that is being held in conjunction with the celebrations to mark the 100 days to go countdown to the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics next Tuesday (October 29).

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