Posted: October 13, 2004

Athletics: Blood named USATF Athlete of the Week

INDIANAPOLIS - Nicole Blood has been named USA Track & Field's Athlete of the Week after breaking an 18-year-old course record at the 32nd Manhattan Invitational in New York City's Van Cortlandt Park.

Blood (Gansevoort, N.Y.), ran 13 minutes, 57.0 seconds on the 2.5-mile course to better the 18-year-old course record of 14:01.9, which was set in 1986 by two-time Foot Locker champion Erin Keogh of Langley, Va. A 16-year-old junior at Saratoga Springs (N.Y.) High School, Blood won the Eastern States Championship, which was held as part of the Manhattan Invitational. The meet drew a record number of almost 11,000 entries representing more than 350 high schools from 15 states and Washington, D.C., and is known as the largest one-day meet in the United States.

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; July 27, Dwight Phillips; August 3, Briana Shook; August 10, Flo Meiler; August 18, Adam Nelson; August 24, Justin Gatlin; August 30, Tim Mack; September 7, Joanna Hayes; September 14, Tim Broe; September 21, Breaux Greer; September 29, Justin Gatlin; October 5, Josh McDougal; October 12, Nicole Blood.