Posted: April 20, 2005

Athletics: Culpepper named USATF Athlete of the Week

INDIANAPOLIS - Alan Culpepper has been named USA Track & Field's Athlete of the Week after placing fourth Monday at the Boston Marathon.

In only his fourth marathon competition, Culpepper ran 2 hours, 13 minutes, 39 seconds to finish fourth in the best performance by an American male at Boston since Dave Gordon placed fourth (2:13:30) in 1987. The 2004 Olympic Trials marathon champion, Culpepper also had the best U.S. time at Boston since Keith Dowling's 2:13:28 in 2002. He only competed in one marathon before last year's Olympic Trials and finished 12th at the 2004 Olympic Games.

World-leading performers at the Mt. SAC Relays were University of Arkansas sophomore Wallace Spearmon Jr., who won the men's 200m in 19.97 seconds. His performance also broke the UA school record of 20.07, previously held by Tyson Gay. Also at Mt. SAC, Dominique Arnold won the men's 110m hurdles in 13.35 and Bernard Lagat ran 13:14.71 in winning the men's 5,000m.

World-leading field event marks were posted by 2004 Olympian Breaux Greer, who just missed the American record by two inches in the men's javelin throw with a toss of 87.65m/287-7, and Georgia Tech junior Chaunte Howard and 2004 Olympian Amy Acuff each cleared 1.93m/6-4 in the women's high jump. Another world-leader was established in Tempe, Ariz., by two-time Olympic medalist John Godina, who won the men's shot put with a heave of 21.06m/69-1.25.

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.; February 1, Erin Gilreath; February 8, LaShawn Merritt; February 15, LaShawn Merritt; February 22, Walter Davis; March 1, Angela Daigle; March 8, Gov. Mike Huckabee; March 15, Kerron Clement; March 22, Lauren Fleshman; March 29, Deena Kastor; April 5, Deena Kastor; April 12, Tianna Madison; April 19 Alan Culpepper.

Best Marks Week Ending April 17 
MEN 
100 - 10.19 James McSwain (Washington St.) - Walnut, CA 4/17 U.S. leader
200 - 19.97 Wallace Spearmon (Arkansas) - Walnut, CA 4/17 World leader
400 - 44.97 Kelly Willie (LSU) - Tempe, AZ 4/16 U.S. leader
800 - 1:46.67 Jonathon Johnson (Texas Tech) - Walnut, CA 4/17
1500 - 3:41.29 Chris Estwanik (Nike Farm Team) - Pomona, CA 4/15 U.S. leader
Mile - 3:58.80 Chris Estwanik (Nike Farm Team) - Walnut, CA 4/17
3000SC - 8:36.70 Andy Smith (North Carolina St.) - Walnut, CA 4/15
5000 - 13:14.71 Bernard Lagat (Nike) - Walnut, CA 4/15 World leader
10,000 - 28:33.31 Brett Schoolmeester (Colorado) - Walnut, CA 4/15
110H - 13.35 Dominique Arnold (HSI) - Walnut, CA 4/17 World leader
400H - 48.54 Bennie Brazzell (LSU) - Tempe, AZ 4/16 U.S. leader
HJ - 2.27/7-5.25 Jamie Nieto (Nike) - Pomona, CA 4/15
PV - 5.70/18-8.25 Adam Keul (Unattached) - Nacogdoches, TX 4/16 U.S. leader
LJ - 7.76/25-5.5 Trevell Quinley (Arizona St.) - Tempe, AZ 4/16
TJ - 16.53/54-2.75 Kenta Bell (Nike) - Nacogdoches, TX 4/16 U.S. leader
SP - 21.06/69-1.25 John Godina (adidas) - Tempe, AZ 4/16 World leader
DT - 64.10/210-4 Carl Brown (Holyfield Intl.) - Walnut, CA 4/17
HT - 73.42/240-10 Kibwe Johnson (Unattached) - Pomona, CA 4/15
JT - 87.65/287-7 Breaux Greer (adidas) - Walnut, CA 4/17 World leader
Decathlon - 7641 Travis Brandstatter (Minnesota) - Azusa, CA 4/14

WOMEN 
100 - 11.29 Amandi Rhett (Holyfield Intl.) - Walnut, CA 4/17 U.S. leader
200 - 22.96 Monique Henderson (UCLA) - Tempe, AZ 4/16
400 - 51.79 Lashinda Demus (Nike) - Walnut, CA 4/17 U.S. leader
800 - 2:03.94 Treniere Clement (Nike) - Knoxville, TN 4/16 U.S. leader
1500 - 4:17.05 Lauren Fleshman (Nike) - Walnut, CA 4/17
3000SC - 9:58.10 Elizabeth Jackson (Unattached) - Walnut, CA 4/15 U.S. leader
5000 - 15:41.57 Sara Bei (Stanford) - Walnut, CA 4/15 U.S. leader
10,000 - 32:33.22 Sylvia Mosqueda (Unattached) - Walnut, CA 4/15 U.S. leader
100H - 12.75 Ginnie Powell (USC) - Walnut, CA 4/17 U.S. leader
400H - 55.29 Sandra Glover (Unattached) - El Paso, TX 4/16 U.S. leader
HJ - 1.93/6-4 Amy Acuff (Unattached) & 
Chaunte Howard (Georgia Tech) - Walnut, CA 4/17 World leaders
PV - 4.40/14-5.25 Tracy O'Hara (adidas) - Walnut, CA 4/17
LJ - 6.72/22-0.75 Rose Richmond (Nike) - Walnut, CA 4/17
TJ - 13.85/45-5.25 Yuliana Perez (Unattached) - Walnut, CA 4/17 U.S. leader
SP - 17.81/58-5.25 Liz Wanless (Florida) - Tempe, AZ 4/16
DT - 56.70/186-0 Laura Gerraughty (Unattached) - Chapel Hill, NC 4/16
HT - 68.88/226-0 Erin Gilreath (NYAC) - Walnut, CA 4/17
JT - 57.52/188-8 Dana Pounds (Air Force Academy) - Walnut, CA 4/17 U.S. leader
Heptathlon - 5773 Fiona Asigbee (Unattached) - Columbia, MO 4/14 U.S. leader