Posted: October 26, 2005

Athletics: Shoemaker named USATF Athlete of the Week

INDIANAPOLIS - Jarrod Shoemaker has been named USA Track & Field's Athlete of the Week after winning the men's race Sunday at the 16th Annual Mayor's Cup Cross Country Races at Boston's historic Franklin Park.

A resident of Sudbury, Mass., Shoemaker, 23, shadowed Westchester Track Club's Daniel Zegeye for the first 5-kilometeters. Zegeye, who finished sixth in the 1,500 meters at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, is a citizen of Ethiopia and resident of New York, but his background on the track was not enough to survive the day's wet and muddy conditions. Shoemaker, a professional triathlete and the current 23-years and under World Champion (September 2005 in Japan), ended up winning the race in 24 minutes, 23 seconds, beating runner-up Kyle King of ZAP Fitness (Blowing Rock, N.C.) by five seconds.

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.