Athletics: Toomey named USATF Athlete of the Week

INDIANAPOLIS – Jen Toomey has been named USA Track & Field’s Athlete of the Week after setting an American record in the 1,000m Friday at the Norwich Union Grand Prix in Birmingham, England.

The 2002 U.S. Outdoor 800m runner-up, Toomey ran 2 minutes, 34.19 seconds bettering the previous American record of 2:35.29 set in 2000 by Regina Jacobs. In her final tune-up for the USA Indoor Track & Field Championships in Boston, Toomey (Salem, Mass.), finished second behind Great Britain’s Kelly Holmes (2:32.96). Toomey is scheduled to compete in the 800 meters and 1,500 meters this weekend at the USA Indoor Championships at Boston’s Reggie Lewis Center.

World-leading performances by Americans this past weekend were turned in by Christian Cantwell (Eldon, Mo.) and Jeff Hartwig (Jonesboro, Ark.). Cantwell tossed a personal best of 21.95m/72 feet, 0.25 inches in the men’s shot put at the Missouri All-Comers meet. The throw by the 2003 World Athletics Final shot put champion and 2003 Missouri grad was the best in the world since 2000 and the best by an American since 1989. The indoor & outdoor American record holder in the pole vault, Jeff Hartwig cleared 5.88m/19-3.5 in pole vault competition in Jonesboro, Ark. Both men also will compete at the USA Indoor Championships.

In prep action, 2003 Pan American Junior 4x400m relay gold medalist Elzie Coleman set a national indoor 400m high school record Saturday at the 2004 Simplot Games at Idaho State University in Pocatello. A senior at Newburgh High School (N.Y.) Coleman ran a time of 45.92 seconds bettering the previous record of 46.84 in 1986 set by William Reed of Philadelphia. The 2003 Pan American Junior 4x100m relay gold medalist, Ashley Owens won the girls’ 60m in a national indoor high school record time of 7.16 seconds. The Liberty Colorado Springs (Colo.) senior, Owens bettered the previous record of her former teammate Aleisha Latimer by .08 seconds.

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; February 3, Jearl Miles-Clark; February 10, Alan Culpepper; February 17, Curt Clausen.

Best Marks Week Ending Feb. 22

Men

60 - 6.58 Brian Lewis (Unattached) - Birmingham, ENG 2/20
200 - 20.96 Ramon Clay (adidas) - Athens, GRE 2/22
400 - 45.92 Elzie Coleman (NYHS) - Pocatello, ID 2/21 (HS Record)
3000 Walk - 12:37.61 Patrick Collier (Athletics East) - Boston 2/22
60H - 7.63 Ron Bramlett (Nike) - Athens, GRE 2/22
HJ - 2.19/7-2.25 Adam Linkenauger (Clemson) - 2/21 Clemson, SC
PV - 5.88/19-3.5 Jeff Hartwig (Nike) - Jonesboro, AR 2/22  World leader
LJ - 7.91/25-11.5 Dwight Phillips (Nike) - Birmingham, NG 2/20
TJ - 16.68/54-8.75 Levar Anderson (Unattached) - Baton Rouge, LA 2/20
SP - 21.95/72-0.25 Christian Cantwell (Nike) - Columbia, MO 2/21 World leader
WT - 24.01/78-9.25 Dan Taylor (Ohio State) - Columbus, OH 2/21
Heptathlon - 5528 Rick Hill (Clemson) - Clemson, SC 2/21

Women

60 - 7.16 Marion Jones (Nike) - Birmingham, ENG 2/20
200 - 23.46 Shalonda Solomon (Long Beach Poly HS- Calif.) - Pocatello, ID 2/21
400 - 53.20 Monique Hennagan (Unattached) - Athens, GRE 2/22
800 - 2:06.69 Nikeya Green (Wake Forest) - Clemson, SC 2/21
1000 - 2:34.19 Jen Toomey (Nike) - Birmingham, ENG 2/20 American Record
Mile - 4:46.24 Janelle Deatherage (Team USA/MN) - Minneapolis, MN 2/21
3000 - 9:09.34 Molly Huddle (Notre Dame) - Syracuse, NY 2/20
5000 - 15:57.22 Molly Huddle (Notre Dame) - Syracuse, NY 2/21
3000 Walk - 12:53.95 Joanne Dow (adidas) - Boston 2/22
60H - 8.10 Lolo Jones (LSU) - Baton Rouge, LA 2/20
HJ - 1.90/6-2.75 Chaunte Howard (Georgia Tech) - Clemson, SC 2/21
PV - 4.58/15-0.25 Kellie Suttle (Nike) - Jonesboro, AR 2/22
LJ - 6.75/22-1.75 Marion Jones (Nike) - Birmingham, ENG 2/20
TJ - 13.50/44-3.5 Tiombe Hurd (Unattached) - Birmingham, ENG 2/20
SP - 18.28/59-11.75 Laura Gerraughty (North Carolina) - Clemson, SC 2/21
WT - 23.43/76-10.5 Erin Gilreath (NYAC) - Bloomington, IN 2/20
Pentathlon - 3845 Tamara McGill (Pitt) - Syracuse, NY 2/20

From USATF.org.