Posted: July 21, 2004

Athletics: Merritt named USATF Athlete of the Week

INDIANAPOLIS – LaShawn Merritt has been named USA Track & Field’s Athlete of the Week after winning three gold medals at the 2004 IAAF World Junior Championships held last week in Grosseto, Italy.

On Thursday, the East Carolina University-bound Merritt won the men’s 400 meters in 45.25 seconds. He then came back on Sunday to run the anchor leg on Team USA’s gold medal-winning 4x100 relay squad and the second leg of the victorious 4x400 relay.

In the 4x100 relay, the winning time of 38.66 seconds set a world junior record to better the time of 38.92 set in 2002 by Team USA. In the 4x400 relay, the winning time of 3:01.09 set a world junior record to better the time of 3:01.90 set in 1990 by Team USA.

Last month the 17-year-old Merritt won both the 200 meter (20.72) and 400 meter (46.80) national titles at the 2004 USA Junior Outdoor Track & Field Championships, in College Station, Texas, where he was named the Verizon Male Athlete of the Meet.

At last week’s Olympic Trials held in Sacramento, American record performances took place in the steeplechase, triple jump and 400 meters. Ana Gaffigan set an American record in the women’s steeplechase with her time of 9:39.35 and Tiombe Hurd set an American record in the women’s triple jump with her leap of 14.45m/47-5. Sanya Richards added an American junior record in the 400m with a time of 49.89 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; 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; April 20, Maurice Greene; May 4, Tonette Dyer; May 11, Toby Stevenson; May 18, Sheena Johnson; May 25, Tim Seaman; June 1, Maurice Greene; June 8, Christian Cantwell; June 15, Stacy Dragila; June 22, Alan Webb; July 6, Le Shundra “DeDee” Nathan; July 13, Maurice Greene; July 20, LaShawn Merritt.