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Kotsenburg, Hamlin named best of U.S. at Sochi Games

Gold medalist Sage Kotsenburg of the U.S. reacts during the medal ceremony for the men's snowboard slopestyle competition in the Olympic Plaza at the 2014 Sochi Olympic Games February 8, 2014. REUTERS/Eric Gaillard (Reuters)

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Slopestyle snowboarder Sage Kotsenburg and luger Erin Hamlin were named on Wednesday as the United States Olympic Committee's top athletes from the Sochi Olympics in February. Kotsenburg was presented with the men's individual award after he won the inaugural Olympic slopestyle snowboarding event with a daredevil move he invented himself but had never actually tried in competition. Hamlin collected the women's award after she became the first American to win an Olympic medal in singles luge with her third place finish in Russia. Meryl Davis and Charlie White, who won gold in ice dancing competition and a bronze in the figure skating team event, were named as the best U.S. team in Sochi. The awards, dubbed 'Best of U.S.', were decided by fan votes. (Reporting by Julian Linden; Editing by Peter Rutherford)