Posted: July 20, 2005

Athletics: Rupp named USATF Athlete of the Week

INDIANAPOLIS - University of Oregon freshman sensation Galen Rupp has been named USA Track & Field's Athlete of the Week after setting a new American junior 3,000m record Sunday at the Nuova Atletica Dal Friuli Sport Solidarieti meet in Lignano, Italy.

Rupp finished the race in 7 minutes, 49.16 seconds to better the previous AJR of 7:58.0 set by National Track & Field Hall of Famer Gerry Lindgren in 1965. Rupp's training partner, 2000 U.S. Olympic Trials 5,000m champion Adam Goucher won the race in 7:40.09, his fastest 3,000m performance since 2001.

Rupp, who ran 28 minutes, 15.51 seconds on May 7 to better the 29-year-old American junior 10,000m record of 28:32.7 set by former Oregon Duck Rudy Chapa, told the Eugene Register-Guard he was happy with his performance on Sunday. "I'm real excited. I wanted to break that record this year," Rupp said. "Lindgren ran that time in the 1960s, and if you consider the evolution of training methods, tracks and shoes, it shows how rare and gifted he was."

Impressive performances also were turned in by Ebony Collins and Bianca Knight, who each won three medals at the recently completed IAAF World Youth Championships in Marrakech, Morocco.

The 16-year-old Collins set a championships record and personal best by two seconds in winning the women's 400m hurdles gold medal in 55.96 seconds, and also won the silver medal in the women's 100 meters in personal best of 11.44. After two false starts in the 100m final, Knight won the gold medal in a world youth-leading time this season of 11.38, seconds and later won the 200m silver medal in 23.33. Collins ran the second leg before handing the baton to Knight as they teamed up with Khrystal Carter and Brandi Cross to win the medley relay gold medal for Team USA in the world youth-leading time of 2:03.93.

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; June 23, Willie Gault; June 28, Kerron Clement; July 6, Ebony Collins; July 12, Sanya Richards; July 19, Galen Rupp.

Best Marks Week Ending July 17

MEN
100 - 10.23 Coby Miller (Nike) - Madrid, ESP 7/16
200 - 20.54 Chris Berrian (Fresno St.) - Azusa, CA 7/17
400 - 45.50 Jamel Ashley (Mississippi St.) - Thessaloniki, GRE 7/17
800 - 1:45.24 Khadevis Robinson (Nike) - Kortrijk, BEL 7/16
1500 - 3:39.40 Matt Tegenkamp (Nike) - Norrtalje, SWE 7/11
3000 - 7:40.09 Adam Goucher (Nike) - Lignano, ITA 7/17
110H - 13.29 Anwar Moore (Nike) - Madrid, ESP 7/16
400H - 47.92 Bershawn Jackson (Nike) - Madrid, ESP 7/16
HJ - 2.27/7-5.25 Jesse Williams (USC) - Lignano, ITA 7/17
PV - 5.81/19-0.75 Daniel Ryland (Bell Athletics) - Jonesboro, AR 7/17
LJ - 8.47/27-9.5 Dwight Phillips (Nike) - Madrid, ESP 7/16
TJ - 16.78/55-0.75 Aarik Wilson (Indiana) - Azusa, CA 7/17
SP - 20.98/68-10 Reese Hoffa (NYAC) - Madrid, ESP 7/16
DT - 63.52/208-5 Ian Waltz (HPTC) - Madrid, ESP 7/16
HT - 74.86/245-7 Travis Nutter (PacBay TC) - Azusa, CA 7/17
JT - 71.78/235-6 Justin St. Clair (Boise TC) - Azusa, CA 7/17

WOMEN
100 - 11.23 Angela Daigle (Nike) - Azusa, CA 7/17
200 - 22.93 Angela Daigle (Nike) - Azusa, CA 7/17
400 - 50.58 Monique Hennagan (Nike) - Madrid, ESP 7/16
800 - 1:59.29 Alice Schmidt (adidas) - Lignano, ITA 7/17
1000 - 2:36.46 Jen Toomey (Nike) - Zagreb, CRO 7/11
1500 - 4:06.96 Jen Toomey (Nike) - Lignano, ITA 7/17
3000 - 9:06.03 Sara Slattery (Colorado) - Madrid, ESP 7/16
3000SC - 9:47.82 Lisa Galaviz (Unat.) - Thessaloniki, GRE 7/17
100H - 12.67 Anjanette Kirkland (Nike) - Zagreb, CRO 7/11
400H - 55.40 Brenda Taylor (Nike) - Thessaloniki, GRE 7/17
HJ - 1.97/6-5.5 Chaunte Howard (Nike) - Azusa, CA 7/16
PV - 4.40/14-5.25 Mary Sauer (Asics) & Kellie Suttle (Bell Athletics) -
Thessaloniki, GRE 7/17
LJ - 6.55/21-6 Brianna Glenn (adidas) - Azusa, CA 7/16
TJ - 13.85/45-5.25 Erica McLain (Stanford) - Azusa, CA 7/16
SP - 17.75/58-3 Jillian Camarena (Reebok) - Azusa, CA 7/16
DT - 61.08/200-5 Aretha Hill-Thurmond (Nike) - Zagreb, CRO 7/11
HT - 69.66/228-6 Loree Smith (Colorado State) - Azusa, CA 7/17