Michelle Ihmels, graduate student in health and human performance, and Chase Madison, a 17-year-old high school student from Newton, were selected as the 2003 Iowa Games’ Marty McHone Athletes of the Year.

Ihmels was surprised to hear she had received the award.

“It’s a great honor to receive this award,” Ihmels said. “I’m guessing there were thousands of athletes that were up to win it, so it really is an honor to be recognized like this.”

Ihmels has won the last two Iowa Games, 10-kilometer races since moving to Iowa in 2002.

She currently holds records at the University of Louisville and was the first women’s track and field All-American in the school’s history.

Ihmels said she feels the reason she got the award is more than just her accomplishments.

“I’ve run the Midnight Madness and have won two years in a row,” she said.

“I think they look for more than that in this award, though. They also look at community involvement.”

Ihmels donates much of her time to cross country and track and field sports.

She volunteered at the Iowa Games, cross country meet in 2002 and cross country and track meets at Iowa State, where her husband, Corey, coaches the ISU cross county team.

Madison has been involved in the Iowa Games’ for the last six years, competing in track for two years and soccer for four. In 2002, he won the discus and this summer won both the discus and the shot put.

Madison has a 3.84 GPA and is involved in leadership training at Newton High School, among other activities.

The nominating process requires involvement in the Iowa Games, said Jim Hallihan, executive director of the Iowa Games.

“Participation matters and also how many Iowa Games they’ve attended, what was accomplished and how they were involved in the community,” Hallihan said.

Madison and Ihmels have been nominated for National Athlete of the Year awards from the National Congress of State Games.

This is the first year the Iowa Games Athlete of the Year awards have been re-named in honor of Marty McHone. McHone was the 1996 Iowa Games female athlete of the year.

Diagnosed with cancer in 1995, McHone headed a group of people fighting the disease.

She died 10 days after participating in the 4×100-meter relay in 2002.

The Iowa Farm Bureau Federation is sponsoring the rededicated award.