Athletics: Springer named USATF Athlete of the Week

INDIANAPOLIS – Max Springer has been named USA Track & Field’s Athlete of the Week after setting four world records at the 2004 USA Masters Indoor Track & Field Championships in Boston.

Springer, a Knoxville, Tenn., resident, on Friday turned in a world and American record in the men’s 90-94 age group 3,000 meters (23:21.12), then followed up Saturday and Sunday with records in the long jump (3.15m/10-4), 800 meters (5:01.44) and triple jump (5.09m/16-8.50). The 90-year-old also posted American records in the 400 meters (1:57.00) and in the 200m (49.32).

UCLA sophomore Chelsea Johnson became the first woman in collegiate history to vault 15-0 feet in winning the Stanford Invitational Saturday in Palo Alto, California. Johnson’s mark of 4.57 meters, 15 feet, 0 inches broke her own NCAA record of 4.50m/14-9 earlier this year in March.

World-leading performers from last week include Dartmouth senior Mustafa Abdur-Rahim earning a score of 7,936 points in the decathlon at the "Big Green in the Desert," meet in Scottsdale, Ariz. Abdur-Rahim's total is the nation's leading decathlon score so far this year. In addition, University of South Carolina junior Lashinda Demus ran 55.50 seconds to win the 400m hurdles at the Florida Relays in Gainesville, Fla.

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; February 24, Jen Toomey; March 2, Gail Devers; March 9, Allen Johnson; March 16, Sanya Richards; March 23, Phillip Dunn; March 30, Max Springer.

Best Marks Week Ending March 28

Men

100 - 10.28 Walter Dix (Florida HS) - Gainesville, FL 3/26 wind-aided 9.89 Darvis Patton (adidas) - Arlington, TX 3/27 400 - 45.69 Rickey Harris (Florida) - Gainesville, FL 3/27 800 - 1:47.55 Kevin Elliott (Nike Farm Team) - Stanford, CA 3/27 1500 - 3:40.50 Mike Miller (Army WCAP) - Stanford, CA 3/27 3000 SC - 8:43.21 Jeff Davis (Central Michigan) - Stanford, CA 3/27 5000 - 13:38.21 Matt Lane (Nike Farm Team) - Stanford, CA 3/27 10,000 - 28:29.58 Jason Sandfort (Arkansas) - Stanford, CA 3/26 110H - 13.33 Larry Wade (Nike) - Stanford, CA 3/27 World Leader 400H - 48.48 Bershawn Jackson (St. Augustine's) - Raleigh, NC 3/26 HJ - 2.20/7-2.5 Jimmy Baxter (South Florida) & Keith Moffatt (Morehouse) - Gainesville, FL 3/27 Shaun Guice (Purdue) - West Lafayette, IN 3/27 PV - 5.50/18-0.5 Justin Norberg (Shore AC) - Stanford, CA 3/27 LJ - 7.92/26-0 Milton Little (Unattached) - Stanford, CA 3/27 TJ - 17.48/57-4.25 Kenta Bell (Nike) - Stanford, CA 3/27 SP - 20.03/65-8.75 Dan Taylor (Ohio State) - Tempe, AZ 3/26 DT - 64.89/212-11 Michael Robertson (SMU) - Arlington, TX 3/27 HT - 72.20/236-10 Drew Loftin (Unattached) - Ft. Collins, CO 3/27 JT - 77.50/254-3 Brian Chaput (Penn) - Raleigh, NC 3/27 Decathlon - 7936 Mustafa Abdur-Rahim (Dartmouth) - Scottsdale, AZ 3/25 World Leader

Women

100 - 11.12 Latasha Colander (Sprint Capital) - Raleigh, NC 3/27 200 - 23.43 Lakadron Ivery (Baylor) - Arlington, TX 3/27 400 - 52.09 Suziann Reid (Sprint Capital) - Raleigh, NC 3/26 800 - 2:03.23 Tiffany McWilliams (Mississippi State) - Starkville, MS 3/27 1500 - 4:11.50 Nicole Teter (Nike Farm Team) - Stanford, CA 3/27 3000 SC - 10:24.92 Sarah Pepera (Michigan State) - Raleigh, NC 3/27 5000 - 15:56.30 Genevieve Graff-Ermeling (PuraPro) - Stanford, CA 3/27 10,000 - 32:52.81 Jamie Krzyminski (Michigan State) - Stanford, CA 3/26 100H - 13.20 Chitua Ohaeri (Unattached) - Tucson, AZ 3/27 400H - 55.50 Lashinda Demus (South Carolina) - Gainesville, FL 3/27 World Leader HJ - 1.94/6-4.25 Tisha Waller (Nike) - Gainesville, FL 3/27 PV - 4.57/15-0 Chelsea Johnson (UCLA) - Stanford, CA 3/27 Collegiate Record LJ - 6.35/20-10 Brianna Glenn (Unattached) - Stanford, CA 3/27 TJ - 13.28/43-7 Nicole Gamble (Unattached) - Raleigh, NC 3/27 SP - 17.49/57-4.75 Jillian Camarena (Stanford) - Stanford, CA 3/27 DT - 57.67/189-2 Stephanie Brown (Unattached) - Stanford, CA 3/27 HT - 70.41/231-0 Erin Gilreath (NYAC) - Gainesville, FL 3/27 JT - 56.48/185-4 Dee O'Connell (Unattached) - Raleigh, NC 3/27 Heptathlon - 5615 Janelle Wright (Kansas State) - Tucson, AZ 3/24

Other notable marks:

Men's TJ - 17.49/57-4.75 Kenta Bell (Nike) - San Diego, CA 3/20 (no wind info)

Women's 200 - 23.06w Wylleshia Myrick (Unattached) - Miami, FL 3/20