Posted: January 28, 2004

Athletics: Gilreath named USATF Athlete of the Week

INDIANAPOLIS – Erin Gilreath has been named USA Track & Field’s Athlete of the Week after setting a world best performance in the women’s weight throw Sunday in Gainesville, Florida.

The former University of Florida Gator threw a world best with her winning mark of 23.95 meters/78 feet, 7 inches at the SEC Track Invitational. She bettered the previous record of 23.86m/78-3.50 set in March 2000 by Dawn Ellerbe. The native of Carol Stream, Ill., won the 2003 NCAA Indoor weight throw title while competing for Florida with a mark of 22.04m/72-3.75.

The University of Arkansas’s Tyson Gay also posted a world-leading mark over the weekend, running 20.73 seconds in winning the 200m and shattering a school record at the Razorback Invitational. The junior transfer bettered the previous Arkansas record of 20.77 set in 1992 by Jimmy French.

Now in its fourth 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.

2004 USATF Athlete of the Week Winners: January 13, Dan Taylor; January 20, Jen Toomey; January 27, Erin Gilreath.

Best Marks Week Ending January 25:

Men:

60 - 6.65 Tim Harden (Nike) - Glasgow, Scotland 1/24
200 - 20.73 Tyson Gay (Arkansas) - Fayetteville, AR 1/23 World Leader
400 - (oversize track) 45.83 Jeremy Wariner (Baylor) - Lubbock, TX 1/24
800 - 1:49.20 James Hatch (Arkansas) - Fayetteville, AR 1/24
Mile - 4:01.94 Michael Taylor (Unattached) - Fayetteville, AR 1/24
3000 - 8:01.27 Steve Sherer (Michigan State) - Ann Arbor, MI 1/24
60H - 7.59 Larry Wade (HSI) - Houston, TX 1/23
HJ - 2.28/7-5.75 Jamie Nieto (HPTC) - Wuppertal, Germany 1/23
LJ - 8.15/26-9 Savante Stringfellow (Nike) - Johnson City, TN 1/24
TJ - 16.50/54-1.75 LeVar Anderson (Unattached) - Baton Rouge, LA 1/24
SP - 19.83/65-0.75 Dan Taylor (Ohio State) - Columbus, OH 1/24
WT - 22.49/73-9.5 Dan Taylor (Ohio State) - Columbus, OH 1/24
HEPT - 5555 Paul Speer (Wichita State) - Air Force Academy, CO 1/23

Women:

60 - 7.33 Me'Lisa Barber (Unattached) - Blacksburg, VA 1/24
200 - 23.56 Me'Lisa Barber (Unattached) - Blacksburg, VA 1/24
400 - 52.92 Sanya Richards (Texas) - Houston, TX 1/23
52.88 (oversize track) Jessica Fox (Wyoming) - Air Force Academy, CO 1/24
800 - 2:05.60 Nicole Cook (Tennessee) - Gainesville, FL 1/25
Mile - 4:33.20 Amy Rudolph (adidas) - New York City 1/24
3000 - 9:16.26 Katie McGregor (adidas) - Minneapolis, MN 1/24
60H - 8.08 Melissa Morrison (Unattached) - Blacksburg, VA 1/24
HJ - 1.85/6-0.75 Morgan High (Kansas State) - Columbia, MO 1/23
PV - 4.58/15-0.25 Kellie Suttle (Nike) - Jonesboro, AR 1/25
LJ - 6.34/20-9.75 Marshavet Hooker (Texas) - Houston, TX 1/23
TJ - 13.32/43-8.5 Yuliana Perez (Unattached) - Fayetteville, AR 1/24
SP - 17.15/56-3.25 Jillian Camarena (Stanford) - Boise, ID 1/24
WT - 23.95/78-7 Erin Gilreath (Unattached) - Gainesville, FL 1/25 World Best
PENT - 4328 Gigi Miller (Unattached) - Fayetteville, AR 1/23

From USATF.org.