Shaun White, Lindsey Kildow and the U.S. Snowboarding Team Lead in Voting for the 2006 U.S. Olympic Spirit Award Delivered By DHL

TORINO, ITALY - Early in the voting period for the 2006 U.S. Olympic Spirit Award Delivered by DHL, gold medalist snowboarder Shaun White, alpine skier Lindsey Kildow, and the U.S. Snowboarding Team the leading candidates in their categories. Voting for the award continues online until the conclusion of the 2006 Olympic Winter Games on February 26, 2006.

For nearly forty years the United States Olympic Committee has been honoring and recognizing athletes at the Games that have demonstrated Olympic Spirit through their inspiration performances and actions on and off the field of play. The 2006 U.S. Olympic Spirit Award Delivered by DHL continues this long-standing U.S. Olympic Committee tradition and will honor U.S. Olympians and U.S. Olympic Teams who best represent the Olympic Spirit through their courage, commitment, performance, perseverance and vision, both in competition and in pursuit of their Olympic dreams.

All athlete members of the 2006 U.S. Olympic Team are eligible for the 2006 U.S. Olympic Spirit Award Delivered by DHL and the winners will be selected by American fans, fellow Team USA athletes, U.S. alumni Olympians, and members of the media through votes cast online and announced at the conclusion of the Games, on February 27, 2006. To date, thousands of votes have been cast, resulting in the following athletes and team taking the lead:

Male U.S. Olympian
1. Shaun White, snowboard
2. Chad Hedrick, speedskating
3. Joey Cheek, speedskating
4. Apolo Anton Ohno, speedskating
5. Ted Ligety, alpine skiing
6. Evan Lysacek, figure skating
7. Bode Miller, alpine skiing
8. Johnny Weir, figure skating

Female U.S. Olympian
1. Lindsey Kildow, alpine skiing
2. Sasha Cohen, figure skating
3. Hannah Teter, snowboard
4. Emily Hughes, figure skating
5. Christine Witty, speedskating
6. Kelly Clark, snowboard
7. Gretchen Bleiler, snowboard
8. Rena Inoue, figure skating

U.S. Olympic Team
1. Snowboarding
2. Figure Skating
3. Speedskating
4. Ice Hockey - Female
5. Alpine Skiing
6. Curling
7. Ice Hockey - Male
8. Bobsled

Throughout the 2006 Olympic Winter Games, numerous U.S. Olympic athletes have demonstrated that the Olympic Spirit lives on through their inspiring performances, among them:

Tanith Belbin and Ben Agosto, Figure Skating - Having been sworn in as a U.S. citizen at the end of 2005, this is Belbin's first performance as a member of Team USA, and Belbin and Agosto's first Olympics Games together. The pair danced their way to a silver medal with a brilliant performance which ended the USA's 30-year drought in ice dancing.

Joey Cheek, Speedskating - Announcing that he would donate his $25,000 gold medal winnings to charity, Cheek exemplified how generosity and selflessness, and his ability to rally others to a cause, are at the foundation of the meaning of the Olympic Spirit.

Toby Dawson, Moguls (skiing) - Hovering in the shadows of teammate, Jeremy Bloom, it was Toby Dawson who rose to the occasion for the U.S. Ski Team in the sport of freestyle skiing, moguls competition. Proudly wearing his bronze medal around his neck, Dawson waved to fans, signed autographs and interacted with the crowd at Piazza San Carlo after his Today Show interview with Matt Lauer. Dawson, adopted from South Korea by two Vail ski instructors at age three, has been skiing since he was four. Dawson successfully bounced back from a broken leg suffered during training last year to capture the bronze medal.

Vonetta Flowers, Bobsled - Flowers wowed the world during the 2002 Olympic Winter Games when she became the first person of African descent to capture a gold medal, a feat which also named her winner of the 2002 U.S. Olympic Spirit Award. On her journey to Torino in 2006, she gave birth to twin boys, one of which underwent brain surgery this winter with the hope that he will be able to hear for the first time.

Mark Grimmette and Brian Martin, Luge - Despite a devastating crash which dashed their chances of capturing a gold medal to accompany the silver and bronze medals they won in the 1998 and 2002 Olympic Winter Games, the team of Martin and Grimmette remain role modes of perseverance. Despite their devastating crash, they appeared on NBC's Today Show to talk about the race and shared their passion and excitement for the sport and the Olympic Games.

Chanda Gunn, Ice Hockey - Gunn has courageously battled epilepsy since age 9 to become the starting goalie for the U.S. Olympic Women's Hockey team in this year's Olympic Winter Games.

Emily Hughes, Figure Skating - A late addition to U.S. Olympic Figure Skating Team, Hughes hopes to follow in older sister Sarah's footsteps in bringing home the gold. Her youthful spirit, go-getter attitude and heartwarming smile, along with the respect she has shown role model Michelle Kwan, continue to touch fans nationwide.

Lindsey Kildow, Slalom (skiing) - Despite being hospitalized after a spectacular training run which left Kildow with serious bruises last week, Kildow returned to the slopes to compete in the women's downhill event where she finished eighth. Kildow, a medal favorite in women's alpine, demonstrated incredible courage and commitment despite an incredible setback.

Evan Lysacek, Figure Skating - Despite suffering from the stomach flu the night before competition, Evan Lysacek was determined to perform his long program With the support of friends and family members, Lysacek gave a career best performance, moving up six places to fourth overall. Once again, Lysacek warmed hearts with his brilliant personality and gracefully disposition.

Matt Savoie, Figure Skating - Savoie is proof that success isn't always measured by a medal. Having finished fifth in the Men's free skate, Matt gave a performance to look back and be proud of; his best showing ever against the world's top skaters.

Chris Witty, Speedskating - Witty has overcome personal obstacles and now works as an advocate, raising funds and awareness for child abuse organization. Marking her participation in her fifth Olympic Games, Witty was elected by her peers to carry the U.S. flag during Opening Ceremonies.

Through February 26, fans can continue to vote for the 2006 U.S. Olympic Spirit Award Delivered by DHL online at www.dhl-usa.com and www.usolympicteam.com. DHL has also launched an online destination for U.S. Olympic Spirit Award voting with NBCOlympics.com at www.nbcolympics.com/dhlolympicspirit. Each day, visitors to the NBCOlympics.com site will see the "Spirited Performances of the Day", featuring photos and videos of spotlighted performances by three U.S. Olympic athletes along with links for voting for the U.S. Olympic Spirit Award. NBC viewers will also be driven to the site through on-air billboards and bumpers during NBC's coverage of the 2006 Olympic Winter Games.

About DHL
A supplier of the United States Olympic Committee (USOC), DHL is the Official Express Delivery and Logistics Provider of the 2006 United States Olympic and Paralympic Teams. DHL provides express delivery and logistics services to fulfill the shipping needs of the U.S. Olympic Committee and Teams, including sporting and medical equipment and Team apparel, and is committed to delivering the Olympic Spirit all across America. Information about DHL's Olympic Spirit Activation platform is available online at the DHL U.S. Olympic Spirit micro site (www.dhl-usa.com/olympicspirit/).