The United States Olympic Committee announce recipients of monthly awards

Vincent Hancock earned the monthly men's award ©Getty Images

The United States Olympic Committee (USOC) have announced that shooter Vincent Hancock, Paralmypic Nordic skier Oksana Masters and ice dance pairing Madison Chock and Evan Bates have won their March awards, presented by Dow.

Two-time Olympic gold medallist Hancock earned the men’s award after he made history at the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) Shotgun World Cup in Acapulco, Mexico.

Hancock set a world record qualifying score of 125 on route to winning his sixth World Cup event in the skeet shooting, becoming the first man to hit all 157 targets since new skeet rules were introduced after the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Masters clinched the women’s title having earned two gold medals at the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Nordic Skiing World Cup final in Surnadal, Norway.

She first finished 52.8 seconds clear of the rest of the field to win the 12 kilometres sitting course country race at the event, before winning middle distance event four days later to earn the overall women’s Nordic World Cup title, at the event held between March 16 and 22.

The team category was given to Chock and Bates after the duo proved a personal best score of 181.34 to earn the silver medal in the ice dancing discipline at the International Skating Union (ISU) World Figure Championships, in Shanghai.

Madison Chock and Evan Bates won the silver medal at the ISU World Figure Championships ©Getty Images

Chock and Bates were the only pairing to receive a level four score on each of their five elements of the short dance programme, finishing 1.79 clear of their nearest challengers in the section.

Athletes are nominated by National Governing Bodies, with an internal nominating committee selecting five nominees from male and female categories to be put forward to the voting round, while three teams are selected.

NGBs count for 50 per cent of the overall vote, with fans making up the remaining tally by voting online at TeamUSA.org.

The awards are supported by DICK’S Sporting Goods, Kellogg’s, Samsung and USG, in addition to Dow, the presenting sponsor.