Indianapolis, IN -- (Sports Network) - USA Track & Field named Tyson Gay and Sanya Richards the 2009 recipients of the Jesse Owens Award on Thursday.

This is the second such award for each track star, with Gay winning the honor in 2007 and Richards picking it up back in '06.

The Owens Award is the highest distinction given to the top U.S. track and field athlete.

"Like this award's namesake, Sanya and Tyson in 2009 conducted themselves like champions in both victory and defeat. Although still young, they already rank among this country's all-time great track athletes, and we look forward to watching them for years to come," said USATF CEO Doug Logan.

Gay's year was highlighted by posting a then third-fastest time ever (19.58 seconds) in the men's 200 meters with his win at the Reebok Invitational in New York on May 30. Gay also bested his own American 100-meter record, turning in a time of 9.69 seconds in Shanghai on September 20.

Richards finished the season with the four fastest women's 400m times in the world this year, and became only the second American woman to ever win the 400 meters at a World Outdoor Championships.