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CNN Live Today
Worlds of Sports and Entertainment Converge in Monaco For Laureus World Sportsman of the Year Award
Aired May 14, 2002 - 10:48 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: The worlds of sports and entertainment converge in Monaco tonight for this year's Laureus World Sportsman of the Year Award. Joining us from there are two superstars, Olympic superstars in their own right: Nadia Comaneci, the first Olympic gymnast to score a perfect 10. In fact, she scored seven of them in 1976. And, swimming great Mark Spitz holds the record for most medals ever won in a single Olympics.
Greetings you to both from here in Atlanta. A huge thrill to talk with you.
NADIA COMANECI, OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALIST: Hi, Daryn.
MARK SPITZ, OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALIST: How are you.
KAGAN: Hello to you, Nadia and Mark. I have to tell you, growing up, you were two of my absolute favorites.
Nadia, I watched your 10s, I practiced dismounts, and Mark I had a poster of you above my bed with all of your gold medals hanging from your neck, so that's just a personal note to get in there to let you know what a threat thrill it to talk with you both.
Tell me what the award is?
SPITZ: Well, the Laureus Award is an award that we give to different categories of sport that are recognizes as the best performances of last year. And we have the different categories and men, women, best sport. We have best comeback, and we have a lot of other categories. Maybe Nadia would comment on some of the other categories.
COMANECI: Extreme sports and sports for people that have disabilities, and it is a wonderful gala, because this is kind of like sports Oscars, and just so many wonderful athletes and celebrate their success. We're part of the academy. There were 43 people, and we get to vote to all of these categories, but we're not going to tell you who'll win. You have to watch the show.
KAGAN: One of categories, sportsman of the year.
And, Mark, we'll do this with you. We'll have you look at the guys. A swimmer on there, Ian Thorpe, the Thorpedo. People might recognize him from the Sydney Olympics. And also Lance Armstrong, Maurice Greene, very quick guy, Michael Schumacher, interesting that you would include a Formula driver as a sportsman, and Tiger Woods. There is a name that is known all over the world.
SPITZ: Well, we have an interesting task. And as part of Academy members, to be able to figure out how to categorize each, since they come from different sports, but as athletes realize the arduous task of the type of training, the type of competitors that they have to go through to become the greatest. And for example, in swimming, it's sort of difficult to kind of compare that person, Ian Thorpe, with a Schumacher who is a race driver, but each is qualified in their own way. And the amazing this is all 43 members vote, but we have no clue who the winner is until they actually read the results on the show.
KAGAN: And that's tonight.
SPITZ: We have Michael Jordan here, who has been a member.
COMANECI: Yes, it will be on NBC on May 26th.
KAGAN: OK, so it's taped tonight, but we'll see it later this month.
Nadia, let's look at the women. Some incredible women here.
No gymnasts, but two tennis players, and Jennifer Capriati.
COMANECI: Not yet.
KAGAN: Not yet, but Jennifer Capriati, Venus Williams, Stacey Dragola (ph), she is a great story, one of first women to compete in pole vaulting, Inga Debruen (ph) in swimming, and Anika Sorenstam, who is a huge story in the world of golf. Does not get enough credit. A lot of people think she is like the Tiger Words on the LPGA. What stands out to you about this list, Nadia?
COMANECI: We work in sports, and you know, we know how much it takes, how many hours to dedicate to achieve something like that, And every interview has their own story, and that's why it's very difficult for us to vote the best, but we try and hope we did the best, and people will be happy with the winner that we pick.
KAGAN: We said no gymnasts on that list, but aren't you now, you and Bart Connor, you're working with young gymnasts. So one day perhaps, one of the athletes that you're coaching will make their way to one of these awards and the Olympics.
COMANECI: You never know.
KAGAN: Mark, what are you doing outside of the pool?
SPITZ: I am involved in investment finance, and Nadia and I have spent a lot of time with the Laureus project. We were in two different functions around the world, one in Berlin called Climbing Ropes program, which we have for underprivileged kids in Berlin, Germany, and we just about two months ago got back from am around-the- world trip. We were in Beijing, China for the Disabled Person Federation, where we were doing program. See we not only also have these award, but we generate money from these programs we have in our sponsorships, our patron sponsors, and we give out money.
We have about 12 different programs throughout world. We have Midnight Basketball in Washington D.C. Michael Jordan is very much a part of our organization. As a matter of fact, he is here now for first time. He is one of academy members, and we're very excited about that, and he is very enthused about what we're doing. That's why he participates.
And so we're all about giving the (ph) money back. Sport is can be most powerful tool to curb all of politics in the world, and we're trying something in a good way, through giving money back to different groups of people that need our support, and it works in a humanitarian way. We're not out to develop Olympians, if you may, or pro athletes, but we're out there to give someone a fair chance of being a better person in life. We have traveled quite a bit for that.
KAGAN: We appreciate your efforts, and the joy that you've brought to us, both of you, through the years, with your athletic performances.
Nadia Comaneci and Mark Spitz. Such a thrill, as I said, to see my Olympic heroes come to life and joining us here on CNN.
SPITZ: Thank you so much.
COMANECI: Thank you.
KAGAN: Have a great time with that.
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