Benjamin (Saratoga, Calif.) won the gold medal in women's vaulting at the World Equestrian Games in Aachen, Germany on August 27. She was the first American woman to win the title. The Germans have won 20 of the last 32 World Championships. Benjamin was also a member of the American team that won silver, which was another first. She was the only American vaulting as both an individual and part of a team. Also, Benjamin was the only American to win two medals at the same World Championship.

Hansen (Havertown, Pa.) set three world records in the month of August, lowering his own world record in the 100m breaststroke once and the 200m breast twice. Hansen smashed the world mark at both breaststroke distances at the 2006 ConocoPhillips USA Swimming National Championships (Aug. 1-5, Irvine, Calif.), breaking the 100m breast world record by almost two-tenths (59.13) and the 200m breast record by three-tenths (2:08.74). Fifteen days later at the Mutual of Omaha Pan Pacific Championships (Aug. 17-21, Victoria, B.C.), Hansen again lowered his own 200m breast world record by more than two-tenths of a second, finishing in 2:08.50. He also won gold and set Championships records in the 100m breast and as a member of the 4x100m medley relay.

The 2006 USA Baseball National Team wrapped-up the summer by successfully defending its gold medal at the 2006 International University Sports Federation World Championships in Havana, Cuba. It was the first World Championships ever won by a USA Baseball National Team on Cuban soil and it capped a perfect 8-0 run through the tournament. In five of the eight games, the team scored 12 or more runs, including an 18-9 victory over Chinese Taipei in the gold medal game on Aug. 15. Led by three returning players, J.P. Arencibia (Tennessee), Sean Doolittle (Virginia) and David Price (Vanderbilt), the team compiled the highest winning percentage ever by a USA Baseball National Team with a 28-2-1 record (.903). During its 31-game schedule, the team batted .300, hit 33 home runs and scored 223 runs. The pitching staff notched a 1.24 ERA for the season - a new record. Along the way, the team recaptured the annual USA vs. Japan Collegiate Series Title with a 3-1-1 record against the Japanese Collegiate All-Stars.

Second place for the women went to rowing athlete Caryn Davies (Ithaca, N.Y.) Davies stroked the U.S. women's eight to a gold medal at the 2006 FISA World Rowing Championships on August 27, setting a world-record time in the process. In the heat on August 21, Davies and her crew dominated its competition in winning by nearly five seconds. The crew held a length of open water by the midway point of the race and continued to extend its lead throughout the second half of the race. In the final on August 27, Davies' boat jumped out to the early lead and built a lengthy advantage over Germany at the midway point of the race. The crew then kept Germany at a comfortable distance the rest of the way down the course. The U.S. clocked a time of 5:55.50, which bettered the world's best time set by the American crew in the heat at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece, by 1.05 seconds.

Paralympic swimmer Jessica Long (Baltimore, Md.) took third place. At the 2006 U.S. Paralympics Swimming National Championships held in San Antonio, Texas from August 10-12, Long continued her record-setting streak. Swimming in the women's s8/sb7/sm8 classifications, Long set new American and Pan American records in the 400-meter freestyle and 100-meter backstroke. In the 200 individual medley, 100 freestyle and 100 butterfly she set new American, Pan American and World Records. Of the seven Paralympic events offered for her classification, Long is presently ranked first or second in the world in all of them. She's ranked No. 1 in the 100 free, 400 free, 100 breaststroke, 100 butterfly and 200 IM.  Her No. 2 rankings are the 50 freestyle and 100 backstroke.

J.P. Arencibia (Miami, Fla.) of USA Baseball took second in the men's vote. Arencibia, a rising junior at Tennessee, was voted the MVP at the International University Sports Federation World Championships in Havana, Cuba. One of the only three returnees from last year's squad, Arencibia finished the tournament 14-34 (.412) with three doubles, two triples, four home runs and a tournament best 23 RBI in eight games. In the championship game, he hit a two-run home run that set the tone for the team's 18-9 victory over Chinese Taipei. Showing his versatility on the field, the two-time USA Baseball National Team member (2005 & 2006) played both first base and catcher over the summer. He finished the season with a team best nine home runs to go with a .306 batting average and 40 RBI.

Gymnast Alexander Artemev (Morrison, Colo.) and wrestler Dremiel Byers (Colorado Springs, Colo.) tied for third place in the men's voting. Artemev won the all-around at the 2006 Visa Championships at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minn. Since 2003, injuries have kept Artemev from reaching his potential; he had shoulder surgery a year ago and slowly returned to competition in 2006.  At the Visa Championships, Artemev demonstrated the execution and skill levels that challenge the world's best. He beat Jonathan Horton, the 2006 Tyson American Cup champion, by 1.550 points for the all-around title, as well as winning the pommel horse and his second parallel bars title.  Artemev tied for third place on the high bar.  He is coached by his father, Vladimir, who was a member of the Soviet National Team.

Byers won a gold medal at 120 kg/264.5 lbs. at the Turneul International on Aug. 19-20 in Brasov, Romania. Byers, a 2002 World Champion, defeated Revaz Chelidze of Georgia in the finals. He opened the tournament with a victory over Russ Davie of the U.S., and defeated Gyula Branda of Hungary in the second round. He was the only U.S. wrestler to win a gold medal in this event. The U.S. World Team used this competition as a tune-up event for the World Championships, which are set for Sept. 26-Oct. 1 in Guangzhou, China. Byers will be competing at the World Championships.

The men's 4x100-meter Freestyle Relay Swim Team took second place honors in the team vote. The team of Michael Phelps (Baltimore, Md.), Neil Walker (Verona, Wis.), Cullen Jones (New Brunswick, N.J.) and Jason Lezak (Irvine, Calif.) set a world record at the Mutual of Omaha Pan Pacific Championships (Aug. 17-21, Victoria, B.C.), marking the first time the United States has held the world mark in that event since 1995. Team USA finished in 3:12.46, shattering the former world record of 3:13.17 set by South Africa at the 2004 Olympic Games. In swimming on this relay, Jones also became the first African American swimmer to break a world record for the United States.

The U.S. Senior National Women's Eight Team took third place for the team vote. The eight boat team won a gold medal at the 2006 FISA World Rowing Championships on August 27, setting a world record time in the process. In the heat on August 21, the crew dominated its competition in winning by nearly five seconds. The crew held a length of open water by the midway point of the race and continued to extend its lead throughout the second half of the race. In the final on August 27, the crew jumped out to the early lead and built a lengthy advantage over Germany at the midway point of the race. The crew then kept Germany at a comfortable distance the rest of the way down the course. The U.S. clocked a time of 5:55.50, which bettered the world's best time set by the American crew in the heat at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece, by 1.05 seconds.

Results (first place votes in parentheses)

Women
1. Megan Benjamin 31 (6)
2. Caryn Davies 21 (3)
3. Jessica Long 19 (3)
Also receiving first-place votes: Rachel George-Normand (Water Skiing), Cheryl Haworth (Weightlifting), Eva Lee (Badminton), Nastia Liukin (Gymnastics), Jamie Van Natta (Field Hockey), Amanda Weir (Swimming) and Nicole Woody (Wrestling).

Men
1. Brendan Hansen 52 (15)
2. J.P. Arencibia 29 (5)
3. Alexander Artemev 14 (1)
    Dremiel Byers 14 (1)
Also receiving first-place votes: Jeremiah Bishop (Cycling) and Brady Ellison (Archery).

Team
1. USA National Baseball Team 42 (9)
2. Men's 4x100-meter Freestyle Relay 40 (5)
3. U.S. Senior National Women's Eight Team 38 (8)
Also receiving first-place votes: Mad City Ski Team (Water Skiing), U.S. Junior Pan Am Championships Team (Gymnastics) and F.A.M.E. Team (Equestrian).