Posted: March 1, 2006

Athletics: USATF News & Notes, Volume 7, Number 16

Clement named Sullivan Award finalist

Kerron Clement has been named as a finalist for the 2006 AAU James E. Sullivan Memorial Award, which annually recognizes the nation's top amateur athlete. The 76th Annual James E. Sullivan Award will be presented April 12th, 2006 at the New York Athletic Club.

As a 19-year-old sophomore at the University of Florida, Clement shocked the track world in winning the 2005 NCAA Indoor 400m title in 44.57 seconds, which shattered the great Michael Johnson's world record of 44.63 set on March 4, 1995. Clement then anchored Florida's 4x400m relay team to the NCAA indoor title in a collegiate record time of 3:03.51, which bettered the previous standard held by Baylor University (3:03.96) from 2004.

Clement won 23 events in 2005 including relays, and captured the NCAA Outdoor 400m hurdles title in 47.56 seconds. Named the U.S. Track Coaches Association Indoor Track Athlete of the Year, Clement won six NCAA All-America honors in 2005.

National Track & Field Hall of Fame nominations sought

Individuals who would like to nominate an athlete, coach or contributor to the National Track & Field Hall of Fame may do so through May 1. Nomination information, forms, deadlines and criteria are available at the USATF Web site at: http://www.usatf.org/athletes/hof/nominations

Beginning in 2005, elections for coaches are held in odd numbered years, with contributor elections in even numbered years. Although 2006 is a year where there will be a contributor election, nominations for coaches will be accepted for 2007.

Two hundred and fifteen athletes, coaches and contributors currently are members of the Hall of Fame, which reopened in 2004 at its new location at the New Balance Track & Field Center at 168th Street in New York City.

The Class of 2006 will be inducted this December at the Jesse Owens Awards Dinner and Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony. The dinner is part of USA Track & Field's 2006 Annual Meeting in Indianapolis.

Gault claims masters world record

A prolific hurdler at the University of Tennessee, who later won a Super Bowl title as a receiver with the 1985 Chicago Bears, Willie Gault has returned to track and field to assault the masters record books.

Gault competed Sunday at a meet in Santa Ana, Calif., where he set a new M45 world 200m record with his time of 22.08 seconds. Gault's performance surpasses the previous record of 22.13 seconds posted four years ago by Kevin Morning. In earlier races the same day, Gault ran 60 meters in a wind-aided 6.98 seconds, and the 60m hurdles in 8.22, with a just-legal aiding wind of 1.9 meters per second.

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