Posted: April 4, 2006

Athletics: Kastor named USATF Athlete of the Week

INDIANAPOLIS - Deena Kastor has been named USA Track & Field's Athlete of the Week after setting four new American records en route to her second place finish in the Berlin Half Marathon.

The 2004 Olympic marathon bronze medalist, Kastor crossed the finish line in the new American record time of 1 hour, 7 minutes, 34 seconds. Kastor bettered her own record by 19 seconds. She also set new American records in the 12 km (38:24), 10 mile (51:31), and the 20 km (1:04:07) on the way to the finish.

Another notable performance over the weekend was turned in by Adam Goucher who placed sixth in the 4 km at the 34th IAAF World Cross Country Championships in Fukuoka, Japan. Goucher finished in a time of 11 minutes, 2 seconds, beating out 2005 world championships 5,000m bronze medalist Craig Mottram, who placed 11th, and 2005 world championships 5,000m and 10,000m silver medalist Sileshi Sihine, who placed 12th.

Now in its sixth 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.

2006 USATF Athlete of the Week Winners: January 3, Walt Henning; January 10, Amandi Rhett; January 17, Kevin Eastler; January 24, Marisa Hanson; January 31, Me'Lisa Barber; February 7, Reese Hoffa; February 14, Wallace Spearmon; February 21, Ryan Hall; February 28, Terrence Trammell; March 7, Ryan Harlan; March 14, Walter Davis; March 21, Bill Collins; March 28, Johnnye Valien; April 4, Deena Kastor.

Best Marks Week Ending April 2 
MEN 
100 - 10.20 Ernest Wiggins (Unat.) - Gainesville, FL 4/1
200 - 20.48 LaShawn Merritt (Nike) - Lynchburg, VA 4/1
400 - 45.78 Xavier Carter (LSU) - Baton Rouge, LA 4/1
800 - 1:48.90 Chris Woods (Mississippi State) - Starkville, MS 4/1
1500 - 3:40.85 Shane Stroup (Florida) - Stanford, CA 3/31
3000SC - 8:38.47 Josh McAdams (BYU) - Stanford, CA 3/31
5000 - 13:41.21 Bolota Asmerom (Nike) - Stanford, CA 3/31
10,000 - 28:24.08 Westly Keating (Texas-Pan American) - Stanford, CA 3/31
110H - 13.33 Aries Merritt (Tennessee) - Atlanta, GA 4/1
400H - 50.22 LaRon Bennett (Unat.) - Atlanta, GA 4/1
HJ - 2.21/7-3 Eugene Hutchinson (Cal State-LA) - Fresno, CA 4/1 and
David Pendergrass (BYU) - Provo, UT 3/31 and Jim Dilling (Minnesota
State) - Stanford, CA 4/1
PV - 5.35/17-6.5 John Russell (Akron) - Charlotte, NC 4/1 and Jake Pauli
(Nike) - Columbia, MO 4/1 and Jimmie Heath (McNeese State) - Arlington, TX 4/1
LJ - 7.63/25-0.5 Greig Cryer (South Carolina) - Gainesville, FL 4/1
TJ - 15.69/51-5.75 Ronald Carter (Long Beach State) - Stanford, CA 4/1SP
- 20.43/67-0.5 Vince Mosca (Unat.) - Tucson, AZ 4/1
DT - 67.86/222-8 Jason Young (Unat.) - Abilene, TX 4/1 World leader
HT - 71.06/233-2 Travis Nutter (PacBay TC) - Stanford, CA 4/1
JT - 76.81/252-0 Mike Hazle (Unat.) - Atlanta, GA 4/1
Dec - 7529 Brandon Hoskins (Liberty) - Lynchburg, VA 3/31

WOMEN 
100 - 11.21 Shalonda Solomon (South Carolina) - Gainesville, FL 4/1
200 - 23.21 Charlette Greggs (Miami) - Gainesville, FL 4/1
400 - 51.67 Shana Cox (Penn State) - Stanford, CA 4/1
800 - 2:05.17 Katie Erdman (Michigan) - Stanford, CA 4/1
1500 - 4:20.48 Mandi Zemba (Grand Valley State) - Stanford, CA 4/1
3000SC - 10:18.97 Nelly Anderson (James Madison) - Stanford, CA 3/31
5000 - 15:44.23 Arianna Lambie (Stanford) - Stanford, CA 3/31
10,000 - 33:05.37 Clara Horowitz (Duke) - Stanford, CA 3/31
100H - 13.37 Dominique Darden (Miami) - Gainesville, FL 4/1
400H - 55.40 Markita James (Auburn) - Atlanta, GA 4/1
HJ - 1.96/6-5 Chaunte Howard (Nike) - Atlanta, GA 4/1 World leader
PV - 4.43/14-6.25 Chelsea Johnson (UCLA) - Fresno, CA 4/1
LJ - 6.37/20-10.75 Sandra Anane (New Mexico) - El Paso, TX 4/1
TJ - 13.08/42-11 Tomika Ferguson (Virginia) - Gainesville, FL 4/1
SP - 18.76/61-6.75 Laura Gerraughty (North Carolina) - Charlotte, NC 4/1
DT - 61.44/201-7 Becky Breisch (Nebraska) - Stanford, CA 4/1
HT - 69.14/226-10 Erin Gilreath (NYAC) - Gainesville, FL 4/1
JT - 56.19/184-4 Kara Patterson (Purdue) - West Lafayette, IN 4/1
Hept - 5293 Danielle McNaney (Liberty Elite) - Lynchburg, VA 3/31

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