Posted: June 16, 2005

Athletics: Williamson named USATF Athlete of the Week

INDIANAPOLIS - Darold Williamson has been named USA Track & Field's Athlete of the Week after setting a world-leading mark in the men's 400m semifinals Friday at the 2005 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Sacramento, California.

A senior at Baylor, Williamson clocked a personal-best time of 44.27 in the 400m semifinals before winning the men's NCAA 400m title in 44.51 seconds. A 2004 Olympic 4x400m relay gold medalist, Williamson bettered his previous best of 44.51 set at the 2004 NCAA Midwest Region Championships in College Station, Texas, and is the fastest all-time at Baylor in a collegiate meet and the third-fastest overall.

Other world-leading performers from the NCAA Division I Championships include Arkansas sophomore Wallace Spearmon, Jr. who ran 19.91 seconds to win the men's 200m final and world 400m Indoor record holder Kerron Clement of Florida, who won the 400m hurdles in 47.56 seconds.

World-leading performances turned in at the Reebok Grand Prix, the fifth stop on the Visa Championship Series, included 1996 Olympic gold medalist Allen Johnson winning the 110m hurdles in 13.03 seconds. 2004 Olympian Michelle Perry turned in a huge personal best of 12.45 seconds to win the women's 100m hurdles. Perry's time is .2 seconds better than her previous best of 12.65 seconds, set in winning the 2005 Payton Jordan U.S. Open and makes her the third-fastest American woman in history.

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; April 26, John Godina; May 3, Amy Rudolph; May 10, Galen Rupp; May 17, Erica McLain; May 24, John Godina; June 1, Walter Dix; June 8, Justin Gatlin; June 15, Darold Williamson.

BEST MARKS WEEK ENDING JUNE 12

MEN 
100 - 10.08 Maurice Greene (adidas) - New York City, NY 6/11
200 - 19.91 Wallace Spearmon (Arkansas) - Sacramento, CA 6/11 World leader
400 - 44.27 Darold Williamson (Baylor) - Sacramento, CA 6/10 World leader
800 - 1:44.94 Kevin Hicks (Florida A&M) - Sacramento, CA 6/11
1500 - 3:37.13 Leonel Manzano (Texas) - Sacramento, CA 6/11
3000 - 7:41.07 Tim Broe (adidas) - New York City, NY 6/11
3000SC - 8:29.66 Andy Smith (North Carolina St.) - Sacramento, CA 6/10
5000 - 13:21.13 Adam Goucher (Nike) - Victoria, CAN 6/10
10,000 - 28:23.75 Galen Rupp (Oregon) - Sacramento, CA 6/9
110H - 13.03 Allen Johnson (Nike) - New York City, NY 6/11 World leader
400H - 47.56 Kerron Clement (Florida) - Sacramento, CA 6/11 World leader
HJ - 2.29/7-6 Jesse Williams (USC) - Sacramento, CA 6/11
PV - 5.90/19-4.25 Toby Stevenson (Nike) - Monterrey, MEX 6/11 U.S. leader
LJ - 7.96/26-1.5 Trevell Quinley (Arizona St.) - Sacramento, CA 6/8
TJ - 17.03/55-10.5 Allen Simms (USC) - Sacramento, CA 6/11
SP - 21.58/70-9.75 Adam Nelson (Unat.) - New York City, NY 6/11
DT - 61.70/202-5 Michael Robertson (Stanford) - Sacramento, CA 6/11
HT - 74.19/243-5 Scott Boothby (Club Northwest) - Vancouver, WA 6/11
JT - 79.16/259-8 Brian Chaput (NYAC) - New York City, NY 6/11
Dec - 7881 Trey Hardee (Texas) - Sacramento, CA 6/9

WOMEN 
100 - 11.05 Lisa Barber (adidas) - New York City, NY 6/11 U.S. leader
200 - 22.31 Allyson Felix (adidas) - Monterrey, MEX 6/11
400 - 50.10 Monique Henderson (UCLA) - Sacramento, CA 6/11
800 - 1:59.59 Treniere Clement (Nike) - New York City, NY 6/11 U.S. leader
1500 - 4:11.37 Anne Shadle (Nebraska) - Sacramento, CA 6/11
3000 - 8:54.32 Sharon Dickie-Thompson (Nike) - New York City, NY 6/11 U.S. leader
3000SC - 9:59.82 Cassie Hunt (Illinois) - Sacramento, CA 6/10
5000 - 15:47.95 Kara Goucher (Nike) - Victoria, CAN 6/10
10,000 - 33:02.21 Sara Slattery (Colorado) - Sacramento, CA 6/9
100H - 12.45 Michelle Perry (Nike) - New York City, NY 6/11 World leader
400H - 54.32 Shauna Smith (Wyoming) - Sacramento, CA 6/11
HJ - 1.93/6-4 Sharon Day (Cal Poly SLO) - Sacramento, CA 6/11
PV - 4.50/14-9 April Steiner (adidas) - New York City, NY 6/11
LJ - 6.66/21-10.25 Tianna Madison (Tennessee) - Sacramento, CA 6/9
TJ - 14.07/46-2 Candice Baucham (UCLA) - Sacramento, CA 6/11 U.S. leader
SP - 17.06/55-11.75 Michelle Carter (Texas) - Sacramento, CA 6/11
DT - 60.16/197-4 Aretha Hill-Thurmond (Nike) - Ostrava, CZE 6/9
HT - 68.47/224-8 Loree Smith (Colorado St.) - Sacramento, CA 6/11
JT - 57.26/187-10 Kim Kreiner (Nike) - New York City, NY 6/11
Hep - 5878 Lela Nelson (Eastern Michigan) - Sacramento, CA 6/11