Posted: November 28, 2005

Athletics: Gatlin, Felix win Jesse Owens Awards

INDIANAPOLIS - World-champion sprinters Justin Gatlin and Allyson Felix on Monday were named winners of the 2005 Jesse Owens Award by USA Track & Field. The 2004 Owens honoree, Gatlin becomes a two-time Jesse Owens Award winner, while Felix has earned the distinction for the first time in her young career.

Established in 1981, the Jesse Owens Award is USA Track & Field's highest accolade, presented annually to the outstanding U.S. male and female track and field performers. This year's awards will be presented on December 1 at the Jesse Owens Awards and Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, held at the Hyatt Regency hotel in Jacksonville, Fla. The ceremony is held in conjunction with USA Track & Field's 2005Annual Meeting November 30-December 4 in Jacksonville.

"llyson and Justin showed the world that the United States is stronger than ever in the sprints," said USATF CEO Craig Masback. "Allyson's undefeated season and Justin's double sprint victories were some of the most memorable moments of the year. In addition to their athletic victories, they demonstrate what is best about our sport every time they step on the track. We are fortunate to have athletes like them, and all of our Jesse Owens Awards finalists, leading Team USA."

Gatlin doubly successful

Gatlin in 2005 had an historic year, sweeping the 100 and 200 meters at both the IAAF World Outdoor Championships and the USA Outdoor Championships. The World Championships in Helsinki, Finland, provided Gatlin with his biggest platform, and he gave an epic performance. He first won the 100 meters with a time of 9.88 seconds, defeating the rest of the field by the biggest margin in World Championships history (.17 seconds). His 200m victory (20.04) made him only the second man ever to complete a successful 100/200 double at the meet, following Maurice Greene in 1999.

Gatlin had given an indication of his double-gold intentions at the USA Outdoor Championships, where he became the first man since 1985 to win the 100/200 double in the concluding event of USA Track & Field's Visa Championship Series.

"I was thrilled to be the recipient of the Jesse Owens Award in 2004, and to win it again this year is simply amazing," Gatlin said. "My congratulations go out to everyone on the U.S. team that did such a fantastic job at the World Outdoor Championships in Helsinki, and to each of the 2005 Jesse Owens Award finalists for all their amazing accomplishments."

Establishing himself as the world's top big-meet, championship runner, Gatlin also posted impressive times in 2005. The 23-year-old Olympic 100m champion ran under 10 seconds five times, including times of 9.88, 9.89, 9.96 and 9.99. He posted six of the top eight 100m times by an American, and earned victories at many of the world's most prestigious invitational meets, including at the Nike Prefontaine Classic, and in London, Rome, Brussels, Yokohama and Shanghai.

Felix flourishes at 200 meters

Still shy of her 20th birthday, Allyson Felix dominated the women's 200 meters in 2005, winning every race she entered and coming away with her first world title.

The 19-year-old Felix came from behind to win the 200m world championship in 22.16 seconds over a field that included Olympic champion Veronica Campbell. In the process, she became the only teenager ever to win a world sprint title. The long-striding Felix also won the U.S. outdoor title in a world-leading 22.13 seconds. She posted the three fastest times in the world in 2005 - 22.13, 22.14, and 22.16 - and five of the top seven times.

"This is the highest honor that an active U.S. athlete can receive, and I'm humbled to be chosen for this recognition," Felix said. "When I think of all the great competitors that have won this award in the past and look at the wonderful U.S. athletes currently competing in our sport, I'm filled with a tremendous sense of pride and gratitude."

Coming off of Olympic silver in 2004, Felix owned the 200 meters every time she stepped on the track, winning each of her races in London, Sheffield, Monterrey, Shanghai and at the World Athletics Final and adidas Track Classic. But the 200m wasn't her only wellspring of success; she also won the 100 meters in her final race of the year, in Yokohama, Japan, where she ran a personal-best time of 11.05 seconds. On the other end of the sprint spectrum, she won the 400 meters at the Norwich Union International Team match with a personal best 51.12.

About the Jesse Owens Award

2005 Jesse Owens Award winners were selected in balloting of members of the U.S. track & field media. Other finalists for the men's Jesse Owens Award were Bryan Clay, Bershawn Jackson, Adam Nelson, Dwight Phillips and Jeremy Wariner. Women's finalists were Lashinda Demus, Tianna Madison, Michelle Perry, Sanya Richards and Lauryn Williams.

The permanent commemorative Jesse Owens Award is maintained at USATF National Headquarters, and a replica is provided to each of the winners. Previous winners are Edwin Moses (1981), Carl Lewis (1982 and 1991), Mary Decker (1983), Joan Benoit (1984), Willie Banks (1985), Jackie Joyner-Kersee (1986 and 1987), Florence Griffith Joyner (1988), Roger Kingdom (1989), Lynn Jennings (1990), Kevin Young (1992), Gail Devers (1993, 1996), Michael Johnson (1994, 1995 1996), Allen Johnson (1997), Marion Jones (1997, 1998, 2002), John Godina (1998, 2001), Inger Miller (1999), Maurice Greene (1999), Stacy Dragila (2000 and 2001), Angelo Taylor (2000), Tim Montgomery (2002), Deena Kastor (2003), Tom Pappas (2003), Justin Gatlin (2004 and 2005) and Joanna Hayes (2004).

For full biographies of Gatlin and Felix, visit the Athlete Bios section of USATF.org.