Hughes Wins Sullivan

Olympian champion Sarah Hughes won the Sullivan Award on Tuesday night as the nation’s top amateur athlete, the second straight year a figure skater took the prestigious honor.

Hughes followed last season’s winner, Michelle Kwan, and became the third figure skater to win the award. The other was Dick Button, who presented Hughes with the trophy.

Hughes beat wrestler Cael Sanderson and paralympic skier Chris Waddell, who also were at the New York Athletic Club for the presentation. The other finalists, swimmer Natalie Coughlin and short track speedskater Apolo Anton Ohno, were not in attendance.