Athletics: Gilreath named USATF Athlete of the Week

INDIANAPOLIS – Erin Gilreath has been named USA Track & Field’s Athlete of the Week after setting an American record in the women's hammer throw Saturday at the Sun Angel Classic at Tempe, Arizona.

A former Florida Gator, Gilreath tossed 72.12 meters/236 feet, 7 inches on her first attempt to win by almost 25 feet, breaking the previous AR of 72.01m/236-3, set in 2002 by Anna Mahon.

Also posting a head-turning performance was University of Miami junior Lauryn Williams, who recorded world-leading times in the 100m (11.01) and 200m (22.46) at the Miami Gatorade Invitational in Coral Gables, Fla. The 2003 Pan Am Games 100m gold medalist’s times broke school, stadium and meet records.

Other world-leading performers over the weekend were four-time USA javelin champion, Breaux Greer, who threw 86.83m/284-10 in Athens, Ga.; world junior record holder and University of South Carolina junior Lashinda Demus running 54.87 in the 400m hurdles at Columbia, S.C.; and 2003 Pan Am Junior 400m silver medalist and Baylor sophomore Jeremy Wariner clocking 45.21 to win the 400m at the Sun Angel Classic in Tempe, Ariz.

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; April 6, Colleen De Reuck; April 13, Erin Gilreath.

Best Marks Week Ending April 12

Men

100 - 10.31 Titus Ryan (Wallace State) - Hattiesburg, MS 4/10
200 - 20.21 Justin Gatlin (Nike) - Knoxville, TN 4/10    U.S. leader
400 - 45.21 Jeremy Wariner (Baylor) - Tempe, AZ 4/10     World leader
800 - 1:46.80 Jesse Strutzel (Nike) - Westwood, CA 4/10     U.S. leader
1500 - 3:43.38 Anthony Famiglietti (adidas) - Knoxville, TN 4/9
3000 - 7:50.39 Dathan Ritzenhein (Colorado) - Eugene, OR 4/10     U.S. leader
110H - 13.42 Dawane Wallace (Nike) - Knoxville, TN 4/9
400H - 49.19 Bennie Brazzell (LSU) - Miami, FL 4/10
HJ - 2.26/7-5 Teak Wilburn (California) - Berkeley, CA 4/10 & Cedric Norman 
(Southern Miss.) - Hattiesburg, MS 4/10 & Jamie Nieto (Nike) - Knoxville, TN 4/10
PV - 5.48/17-11.75 Tim Mack (Nike) & Lawrence Johnson (adidas) - Knoxville, TN 4/10
LJ - 7.95/26-1 John Moffitt (LSU) - Miami, FL 4/10     U.S. leader
TJ - 17.19/56-4.75 Kenta Bell (Nike) - El Paso, TX 4/10     
SP - 20.75/68-1 Reese Hoffa (NYAC) - Athens, GA 4/10     U.S. leader
DT - 62.91/206-5 Carl Brown (Nike) - Westwood, CA 4/10
HT - 74.28/243-8 Kevin McMahon (NYAC) - Berkeley, CA 4/10     U.S. leader
JT - 86.83/284-10 Breaux Greer (adidas) - Athens, GA 4/10     World leader
Decathlon - 7899 Stephen Moore (Unattached) - San Angelo, TX 4/9
Women
100 - 11.01 Lauryn Williams (Miami) - Miami, FL 4/10     World leader
200 - 22.46 Lauryn Williams (Miami) - Miami, FL 4/10     World leader
400 - 51.33 Nadia Davy (LSU) - Miami, FL 4/10
800 - 2:03.21 Tiffany McWilliams (Mississippi State) - Starkville, MS 4/10     U.S. leader
1500 - 4:15.72 Tiffany McWilliams (Mississippi State) - Starkville, MS 4/10
100H - 12.93 Melissa Morrison (adidas) - Knoxville, TN 4/9     U.S. leader
400H - 54.87 Lashinda Demus (South Carolina) - Columbia, SC 4/7    World leader
HJ - 1.86/6-1.25 Sheena Gordon (UCLA) - Westwood, CA 4/10
PV - 4.47/14-8 Andrea Dutoit (Vault USA) - Wichita, KS 4/10
LJ - 6.44/21-1.5 Ola Sesay (Unattached) - Chapel Hill, NC 4/9
TJ - 13.96/45-9.75 Vanitta Kinard (Nike) - Miami, FL 4/10     U.S. leader 
SP - 18.15/59-6.75 Kristin Heaston (Nike) - Westwood, CA 4/10     U.S. leader
DT - 58.18/190-10 Seilala Sua (Nike) - Westwood, CA 4/10
HT - 72.12/236-7 Erin Gilreath (NYAC) - Tempe, AZ 4/10   American Record
JT - 55.20/181-1 Kim Kreiner (Nike) - Hattiesburg, MS 4/10
Heptathlon - 5523 Amber Miller (Unattached) - San Angelo, TX 4/9