Contact:
Vicky Oddi
Communications Intern
[email protected]
317-261-0500
_____
Tuesday, February 21, 2006
Hall named Athlete of the Week
INDIANAPOLIS - Ryan Hall has been named USA Track and Field's Athlete of
the Week after winning the open men's 12 km race on Sunday at the 2006
USA Cross Country Championships, at Van Cortland Park in New York.
The 2005 USA Outdoor bronze medalist at 5,000m, Hall finished the race
in 34 minutes, 38 seconds -- 27 seconds ahead of runner-up Jorge Torres.
The previous day Hall placed fourth in the open men's 4 km race in
10:57. With his first and third place finishes, Hall is eligible to
compete at the World Cross Country Championships in Fukuoka, Japan in
both the 4 km and the 12 km.
Elsewhere, American pole vault record holder Jeff Hartwig, 38, continued
his amazing 2006 indoor season Saturday with a world best clearance of
5.85 meters/19 feet, 2.25 inches at the John Dalton Memorial Open in
Vermillion, S.D. His previous season's best of 5.73m/18-9.50 came
February 3 in winning the Millrose Games in New York.
Milton Campbell also set world leaders Saturday in Blacksburg, Va.,
running 200m in 20.42 (indoor personal best) and 400m in 45.81, on a
standard 200m indoor oval. Not to be outdone, two-time Olympic silver
medalist Terrence Trammell set the men's 60m hurdles world leader with
his win at Bloomington, Ind., in 7.51 seconds, and Central Michigan
University senior Johnnie Drake set the world's best 60m time this
indoor season with his victory at Mt. Pleasant, Mich., in 6.53 seconds.
Bianca Knight, a junior at Ridgeland (Miss.) High School, won 60- and
200-meter sprints Saturday in the Simplot Games at Pocatello, Idaho. She
set a personal best in the 60m with a 7.25 clocking and set a meet
record in the 200m with a time of 23.26. More than 2,000 athletes from
the United States and Canada participated in the Games.
Now in its sixth year, USATF's Athlete of the Week program is designed
to recognize outstanding performers at all levels of the sport. USATF
names a new honoree each week and features the athlete on the USATF
website. Selections are based on top performances and results from the
previous week.
2006 USATF Athlete of the Week Winners: January 3, Walt Henning; January
10, Amandi Rhett; January 17, Kevin Eastler; January 24, Marisa Hanson;
January 31, Me'Lisa Barber; February 7, Reese Hoffa; February 14,
Wallace Spearmon; February 21, Ryan Hall.
BEST MARKS WEEK ENDING FEBRUARY 19
MEN
60 - 6.53 Johnie Drake (Unat.) - Mt. Pleasant, MI 2/17 World leader
200 - 20.42 Milton Campbell (EHI) - Blacksburg, VA 2/18 World leader
400 - 45.81 Milton Campbell (EHI) - Blacksburg, VA 2/18 World leader
600 - 1:16.63 Ricardo Bell (Indiana Invaders) - Bloomington, IN 2/17
800 - 1:49.96 Ali Najjar (Unat.) - Blacksburg, VA 2/18
Mile - 4:01.63 Josh McDougal (Liberty) - Lynchburg, VA 2/18
60H - 7.51 Terrence Trammell (Mizuno) - Bloomington, IN 2/17 World
leader
3000RW - 12:48.39 Michael Kazmierczak (Rhode Island) - Boston, MA 2/19
HJ - 2.27/7-5.25 Kyle Lancaster (Kansas State) - Manhattan, KS 2/18
PV - 5.85/19-2.25 Jeff Hartwig (Nike) - Vermillion, SD 2/18 World leader
LJ - 7.82/25-8 Tony Allmond (SoCal Cheetahs) - Blacksburg, VA 2/18
TJ - 15.74/51-7.75 Brandon Via (North Carolina AandT) - Landover, MD 2/18
SP - 20.00/65-7.5 John Godina (adidas) - Flagstaff, AZ 2/18
WT - 22.04/72-3.75 Arnaldo Cueto (Unat.) - Reno, NV 2/18
Hept. - 5417 Trevor O'Grady (Rutgers) - Akron, OH 2/19
WOMEN
60 - 7.21 Torri Edwards (Unat.) - Birmingham, ENG 2/18
200 - 23.26 Bianca Knight (MsHS) - Pocatello, ID 2/18
400 - 53.97 Tiffany Ross-Williams (Reebok) - Lynchburg, VA 2/18
OT 52.90 Ellannee Richardson (Palouse Hills TC) - Moscow, ID 2/17
800 - 2:07.50 Mary Jane Harrelson (Nike) - Blacksburg, VA 2/18
5000 - 16:13.80 Andrea Walkonen (Boston Univ.) - Boston, MA 2/18
60H - 7.88 Michelle Perry (Nike) - Birmingham, ENG 2/18
3000RW - 12:44.89 Joanne Dow (adidas) - Boston, MA 2/19
HJ - 1.84/6-0.5 Sheena Gordon (North Carolina) - Blacksburg, VA 2/18 and
Deirdre Mullen (Unat.) - Boston, MA 2/19
PV - 4.57/15-0 Jenn Stuczynski (Suhr Sports) - Akron, OH 2/17
LJ - 6.42/21-0.75 Grace Upshaw (Nike) - Birmingham, ENG 2/18
TJ - 13.41/44-0 Sherita Williams (GBTC) - Boston, MA 2/19
SP - 18.84/61-9.75 Laura Gerraughty (North Carolina) - Blacksburg, VA
2/18 U.S. leader
WT - 22.74/74-7.25 Erin Gilreath (NYAC) - Bloomington, IN 2/17
Pent. - 4055 Ryanne Dupree (Texas-San Antonio) - Houston, TX 2/17
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