Masters track and field superstar Philippa "Phil" Raschker of Marietta is one of five finalists for the 2007 AAU Sullivan Award honoring the top amateur athlete in the United States.

Raschker, 61, also was a finalist for the 2003 Sullivan Award, won by swimmer Michael Phelps.

This time, she's competing against Florida football player Tim Tebow, Olympic hopeful gymnast Jonathan Horton, Michigan State ice hockey player Jeff Lerg and Virginia Tech softball player Angela Tincher.

The Sullivan Award will be presented April 1, 2008, at 6:30 p.m. at the New York Athletic Club.

Raschker, who was born in Germany, has dominated the masters scene in every age category she has entered. Last year, her first in the 60-64 age group, she set 12 world records and 31 American records.

She also won seven National Senior Games Championship gold medals, 10 World Masters Championship gold medals and 27 gold medals at five U.S. National Masters Championship meets.

"It is another fantastic milestone," Raschker said via e-mail from Clermont-Ferrand, France, where she is competing in the World Indoor Masters Championships.

With one day of competititon remaining, Raschker has already won six gold medals (60-meter dash, 60-meter hurdles, 200-meters, high jump, long jump, triple jump) and set one world and two American records.

Raschker. the oldest athlete nominated for the Sullivan Award, has already received several top honors for her accomplishments in 2007.

She was named Athlete of the Year by Masters Athlete magazine; Atlanta Sports Amateur Athlete of the Year; Female World Masters Athlete of the Year by the World Masters Athletic (WMA) Association / International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) and Outstanding Athlete at the World Championship Track and Field Meet in Italy, where more than 9,000 athletes competed.

Voters for the Sullivan Award included AAU officials, U.S. Olympic Committee members, college sports information directors and the public. Fan votes counted one-third toward the final tally."

"Many athletes start mellowing with age; not Phil, she continues grinding out performances thought only possible in dreams!" said Phil Godfrey, president and CEO of the National Senior Games Association, the group that nominated Raschker for the Sullivan Award. "She is certainly the most accomplished senior athlete to ever compete in track and field. I believe an argument can be made that she is the best female athlete of all time at any age."

The first Sullivan Award winner was Georgia golfer Bobby Jones in 1930. Last year's winner was Paralympic swimmer Jessica Long.

Tebow, the first sophomore to win the Heisman Trophy, would be the first football player to win the Sullivan Award since Peyton Manning in 1997.