Posted: September 20, 2005

Athletics: Kastor named USATF Athlete of the Week

INDIANAPOLIS - Olympic marathon bronze medalist Deena Kastor has been named USA Track & Field's Athlete of the Week after she set an American half-marathon record Sunday at the 2005 Jefferson Hospital Philadelphia Distance Run in Pennsylvania.

Kastor's time of 1 hour, 7 minutes, 53 seconds shattered Joan Benoit Samuelson's 21-year-old mark of 1:08:34, set in at the same race in 1984 in Philadelphia.

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; August 23, Sanya Richards; August 30, Bernard Lagat; September 6, Abdi Abdirahman; September 13, Allyson Felix; September 20, Deena Kastor.

Best Marks Week Ending September 19

MEN 
100 - 10.01 Justin Gatlin (Nike) - Shanghai, CHN 9/17
200 - 20.59 John Capel (adidas) - Shanghai, CHN 9/17
400 - 45.86 Leonard Byrd (Nike) - Yokohama, JPN 9/19
110H - 13.20 Allen Johnson (Nike) - Shanghai, CHN 9/17
400H - 48.24 Bershawn Jackson (Nike) - Yokohama, JPN 9/19
HJ - 2.29/7-6 Tora Harris (Shore AC) - Shanghai, CHN 9/17
LJ - 8.39/27-6.5 Dwight Phillips (Nike) - Shanghai, CHN 9/17
Decathlon - 7589 Paul Terek (Unattached) - Talence, FRA 9/18

WOMEN 
100 - 11.05 Lauryn Williams (Nike) - Shanghai, CHN 9/17 and Allyson Felix (adidas) - Yokohama, JPN 9/19
200 - 23.09 Allyson Felix (adidas) - Shanghai, CHN 9/17
400 - 50.03 Dee Dee Trotter (adidas) - Yokohama, JPN 9/19
100H - 13.12 GiGi Miller (Unattached) - Talence, FRA 9/17
PV - 4.30/14-1.25 April Steiner (Unattached) - Shanghai, CHN 9/17
LJ - 6.45/21-2 GiGi Miller (Unattached) - Talence, FRA 9/17
SP - 17.16/56-3.75 Kristin Heaston (Nike) - Shanghai, CHN 9/17
Heptathlon - 6178 GiGi Miller (Unattached) - Talence, FRA 9/18