Posted: January 26, 2005

Athletics: Spearmon named USATF Athlete of the Week

INDIANAPOLIS - Wallace Spearmon Jr., has been named USA Track & Field's Athlete of the Week after setting a University of Arkansas school record in the 200 meters Friday at the Razorback Invitational in Fayetteville, Arkansas.

An All-American sophomore at UA, Spearmon ran 20.36 seconds to win the 200m and better the school's previous record of 20.40 set by Tyson Gay at the 2004 SEC Championships. The 2004 NCAA Outdoor 200m champion, Spearmon's performance was just one tenth of a second off of the American, NCAA and Tyson Center record of 20.26 held by 2004 Olympic 200m gold medalist Shawn Crawford and 2003 World 200m Champion John Capel.

Now in its fifth 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.

2005 USATF Athlete of the Week Winners: January 4, Amy Rudolph; January 11, Dathan Ritzenhein; January 18, Janine Davis; January 25, Wallace Spearmon Jr.

Best Marks Week Ending January 23

MEN 

60 - 6.64 Aaron Armstrong (Nike) - Fayetteville, AR 1/22
200 - 20.36 Wallace Spearmon (Arkansas) - Fayetteville, AR 1/21
400 - 46.78 James Davis (Nike) - New York City 1/22
46.62OT Darold Williamson (Baylor) - Lubbock, TX 1/22
800 - 1:49.97 Joel Williams (Jackson State) - Fayetteville, AR 1/22
1:49.28OT Kevin Hicks (Florida A&M) - Johnson City, TN 1/21
Mile - 4:00.58 Scott McGowan (New Balance) - New York City 1/22
3000 - 8:06.25 Matt Withrow (Unattached) - Madison, WI 1/22
60H - 7.73 Antwon Hicks (Ole Miss) - Fayetteville, AR 1/22
HJ - 2.24/7-4.25 Jamie Nieto (Nike) - Wuppertal, GER 1/21
PV - 5.83/19-1.5 Brad Walker (Unattached) - Reno, NV 1/22
LJ - 8.03/26-4.25 Brian Johnson (Unattached) - Houston, TX 1/21
TJ - 16.28/53-5 Marcus Jones (Unattached) - Murfreesboro, TN 1/22
SP - 20.51/67-3.5 Dan Taylor (Nike) - Carbondale, IL 1/22
Weight - 20.82/68-3.75 Adam Trainor (Colorado St.) - Air Force Academy, CO 1/21
Heptathlon - 5447 Allen Bulick (Unattached) - Fayetteville, AR 1/22

WOMEN

60 - 7.32 Ashley Owens (LSU) - Fayetteville, AR 1/22
200 - 24.08 Natasha Hastings (South Carolina) - Clemson, SC 1/22
23.65OT Porchea Carroll (Arizona St.) - Flagstaff, AZ 1/22
400 - 53.48 Nicole Leach (W. Catholic High PA) - New York City 1/22
1000 - 2:46.50 Ashley Patten (Missouri) - Manhattan, KS 1/22
Mile - 4:35.61 Amy Mortimer (Reebok) - New York City 1/22
3000 - 9:18.02 Caroline Bierbaum (Columbia) - Hanover, NH 1/22
60H - 8.18 Danielle Carruthers (Doyle Mgmt.) - Johnson City, TN 1/22
HJ - 1.88/6-2 Chaunte Howard (Georgia Tech) - Johnson City, TN 1/22
PV - 4.55/14-11 Stacy Dragila (Nike) - Reno, NV 1/22
LJ - 6.35/20-10 Hyleas Fountain (Doyle Mgmt.) - Johnson City, TN 1/21
TJ - 13.63/44-8.75 Chaytan Hill (Kansas St.) - Manhattan, KS 1/22
SP - 17.18/56-4.5 Liz Wanless (Florida) - Clemson, SC 1/22
Weight - 22.52/73-10.75 Amber Campbell (Mjolnar) - Johnson City, TN 1/21

Source: Melvin Jackson II
Communications Coordinator
USATF