Posted: August 16, 2005

Athletics: Gatlin named USATF Athlete of the Week

INDIANAPOLIS - Justin Gatlin has been named USA Track & Field's Athlete of the Week after winning the 100m and 200m titles at the at the 2005 World Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Helsinki, Finland.

Gatlin (Raleigh, N.C.) ran 9.88 seconds and 20.04 seconds to become the first man to win both the 100 and 200 meters, respectively, at the World Outdoor Championships since Maurice Greene accomplished the feat in 1999. Gatlin's winning margin of .17 seconds in the 100 meters was the biggest in meet history.

Several Americans turned in world-leading performances - in addition to gold-medal-winning ones - at the World Outdoor Championships. They include Jeremy Wariner, who clocked 43.93 to win the men's 400m; Dwight Phillips, who leaped 8.60m/28-2.75 to win the men's long jump; and Bryan Clay, who finished with 8,732 points to win the men's decathlon.

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; July 28, Wallace Spearmon Jr.; August 2, Ryan Whiting; August 9, Adam Nelson, August 16, Justin Gatlin.

BEST MARKS WEEK ENDING AUGUST 14

MEN 

200 - 20.04 Justin Gatlin (Nike) - Helsinki, FIN 8/11400 - 43.93 Jeremy
Wariner (adidas) - Helsinki, FIN 8/12 World leader800 - 1:46.74 Khadevis
Robinson (Nike) - Helsinki, FIN 8/111500 - 3:36.07 Alan Webb (Nike) -
Helsinki, FIN 8/83000SC - 8:23.89 Daniel Lincoln (Nike) - Helsinki, FIN
8/95000 - 13:27.16 Ian Dobson (adidas) - Helsinki, FIN 8/1110,000 -
27:52.01 Abdi Abdirahman (Nike) - Helsinki, FIN 8/8Marathon - 2:13:27
Brian Sell (Hanson's ODP) - Helsinki, FIN 8/1350k Walk - 4:25:27 Philip
Dunn (Unattached) - Helsinki, FIN 8/12110H - 13.10 Allen Johnson (Nike)
- Helsinki, FIN 8/12400H - 47.30 Bershawn Jackson (Nike) - Helsinki, FIN
8/9HJ - 2.27/7-5.25 Matt Hemingway (adidas) - Helsinki, FIN 8/12PV -
5.75/18-10.25 Brad Walker (Nike) - Helsinki, FIN 8/11LJ - 8.60/28-2.75
Dwight Phillips (Nike) - Helsinki, FIN 8/13 World leaderTJ -
17.57/57-7.75 Walter Davis (Nike) - Helsinki, FIN 8/11U.S. leaderJT -
72.00/236-3 Bryan Clay (Nike) - Helsinki, FIN 8/10Decathlon - 8732 Bryan
Clay (Nike) - Helsinki, FIN 8/10 World leader

WOMEN 

100 - 10.93 Lauryn Williams (Nike) - Helsinki, FIN 8/8200 - 22.16
Allyson Felix (adidas) - Helsinki, FIN 8/12400 - 49.74 Sanya Richards
(Nike) - Helsinki, FIN 8/10800 - 2:01.52 Hazel Clark (Nike) - Helsinki,
FIN 8/91500 - 4:16.51 Treniere Clement (Nike) - Helsinki, FIN 8/123000SC
- 9:46.72 Elizabeth Jackson (Nike) - Helsinki, FIN 8/85000 - 15:20.59
Shalane Flanagan (Nike) - Helsinki, FIN 8/10Marathon - 2:34:43 Turena
Johnson-Lane (Unattached) - Helsinki, FIN 8/14100H - 12.64 Michelle
Perry (Nike) - Helsinki, FIN 8/9400H - 53.27 Lashinda Demus (Nike) -
Helsinki, FIN 8/13 U.S. leaderHJ - 2.00/6-6.75 Chaunte Howard (Nike) -
Helsinki, FIN 8/8 U.S. leaderPV - 4.20/13-9.25 Jillian Schwartz (Nike) -
Helsinki, FIN 8/12LJ - 6.89/22-7.25 Tianna Madison (Tennessee) -
Helsinki, FIN 8/10 U.S. leaderSP - 17.53/57-6.25 Kristin Heaston (Nike)
- Helsinki, FIN 8/12HT - 67.41/221-2 Erin Gilreath (NYAC) - Helsinki,
FIN 8/10JT - 55.05/180-7 Kim Kreiner (Nike) - Helsinki, FIN 8/12