NEW YORK: Gymnast Shawn Johnson, the Beijing Olympic balance beam champion, has been named winner of the 79th Sullivan Award as last year's top US amateur athlete.

The award, presented by the US Amateur Athletic Union, was voted upon by US Olympic Committe and union officials plus college sports information directors and on-line fan ballots that counted for one-third of the final total.

Johnson, who also took three silver medals in Beijing for team and floor and all-around performances, became the third gymnast to claim the honor, joining Kurt Thomas in 1979 and Paul Hamm in 2004.

Other finalists for the award included gymnast Nastia Liukin, the Beijing Olympic all-around gymnastics champion; volleyball player Cynthia Barboza, US college basketball star Tyler Hansbrough and the US Olympic men's 4x100-meter relay.