Posted: April 18, 2006

Athletics: Keflezighi named USATF Athlete of the Week

INDIANAPOLIS - Meb Keflezighi has been named USA Track & Field's Athlete of the Week after finishing third and leading American men to their best showing in 21 years at the Boston Marathon on Monday.

The 2004 Olympic silver medalist, Keflezighi took third in Boston in 2 hours 9 minutes and 56 seconds, just shy of his personal best 2:09.53. He led the U.S. men to placing five in the top ten for the first time since 1985 and they claimed six of the top 11 spots.

Elsewhere, strong performances were put up at the 48th Mt. SAC relays. 2006 USA Indoor champion Akiba McKinney opened her outdoor season with a win, leaping a personal best 6.83 meters/22 feet 5 inches in the women's long jump, surpassing her previous best by almost a foot.

2006 USA Indoor champion Khadevis Robinson broke a 24-year-old meet record in running a world-leading 1:44.98 in the men's 800m. In the women's high jump, 2005 World Outdoor silver medalist Chaunte Howard equaled her personal best clearing 2.00m/6-6.75 to take the win over three-time Olympian Amy Acuff, who finished second with a leap of 1.95m/6-4.75.

2005 NCAA champion Jesse Williams tied his personal best of 2.30m/7-6.5 to win the men's high jump, topping 2004 Olympian Jamie Nieto, who cleared 2.27m/7-5.25 to place second.

LaShawn Merritt won the men's 200m in a world-leading 20.23, just ahead of Chris Berrian (20.31) but with a much bigger margin over World Indoor 60m champion Leonard Scott (20.53).

The women's 200m went to Torri Edwards in a tight encounter with Commonwealth Games silver medalist Geraldine Pillay, 22.98 to 23.00.

2005 USATF Youth Athlete of the Year Ebony Collins stole the show during the high school portion of the meet, winning individual titles in the 100 meters (11.55), 100 hurdles (13.79) and 300 hurdles (40.97) and adding a team title by running a leg on Wilson's 400-meter relay.

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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; April 11, Trey Hardee; April 18, Meb Keflezighi.

BEST MARKS WEEK ENDING APRIL 16 

MEN 
100 - 10.11 Demi Omole (Wisconsin) - Knoxville, TN 4/14
200 - 20.13 Xavier Carter (LSU) - Coral Gables, FL 4/15 World leader
400 - 45.42 Kelly Willie (LSU) - Coral Gables, FL 4/15
800 - 1:44.98 Khadevis Robinson (Nike) - Walnut, CA 4/15 World leader
Mile - 4:01.44 Said Ahmed (Unat.) - Walnut, CA 4/15
3000SC - 8:50.05 Ben Bruce (Asics) - Walnut, CA 4/13
5000 - 13:29.30 Bolota Asmerom (Nike) - Walnut, CA 4/13
10,000 - 28:48.53 Seth Pilkington (Weber State) - Walnut, CA 4/14
110H - 13.38 Aries Merritt (Tennessee) - Knoxville, TNB 4/14
400H - 49.89 LaRon Bennett (Unat.) - Knoxville, TN 4/14
HJ - 2.30/7-6.5 Jesse Williams (USC) - Walnut, CA 4/15
PV - 5.63/18-5.75 Toby Stevenson (Nike) - Walnut, CA 4/15
LJ - 8.08/26-6.25 Brian Johnson (Nike) - Walnut, CA 4/15
TJ - 17.10/56-1.25 Aarik Wilson (Unat.) - Walnut, CA 4/15
SP - 20.35/66-9.25 Jarred Rome (HPTC) - Walnut, CA 4/15
DT - 63.89/209-7 Adam Kuehl (Arizona) - Mesa, AZ 4/14
HT - 78.52/257-7 A.G. Kruger (Ashland Elite) - Walnut, CA 4/15
JT - 72.70/238-6 Eric Brown (Arkansas) - Walnut, CA 4/14
Dec - 7707w Chris Helwick (Tennessee) - Knoxville, TN 4/13

WOMEN 
100 - 11.24 Wylleshia Myrick (Unat.) - Coral Gables, FL 4/15
200 - 22.53 Shalonda Solomon (South Carolina) - Knoxville, TN 4/15 World leader
400 - 51.65 Lashinda Demus (Nike) - Clemson, SC 4/15
800 - 2:01.86 Frances Santin (SMTC) - Walnut, CA 4/15
1500 - 4:19.88 Arianne Lambie (Stanford) - Walnut, CA 4/14
3000SC - 10:12.50 Ann Gaffigan (Unat.) - Lincoln, NE 4/15
5000 - 15:40.41 Molly Huddle (Notre Dame) - Walnut, CA 4/13
10,000 - 33:55.08 Ann Alyanak (Unat.) - Walnut, CA 4/14
100H - 12.83 Damu Cherry (Unat.) - Coral Gables, FL 4/15
400H - 56.27 Shauna Smith (Nike) - Walnut, CA 4/14
HJ - 2.00/6-6.75 Chaunte Howard (Nike) - Walnut, CA 4/15 World leader
PV - 4.47/14-8 Jenn Stuczynski (Suhr Sports) - Walnut, CA 4/15
LJ - 6.83/22-5 Akiba McKinney (HPTC) - Walnut, CA 4/15
TJ - 13.28/43-7 Monique Young (Northern Arizona) - Walnut, CA 4/15
SP - 18.58/60-11.5 Jillian Camarena (Unat.) - Walnut, CA 4/15
DT - 62.55/205-2 Becky Breisch (Nebraska) - Lincoln, NE 4/15
HT - 69.69/228-7 Erin Gilreath (NYAC) - Walnut, CA 4/15
JT - 57.27/187-10 Kim Kreiner (Nike) - Walnut, CA 4/14
Hep - 5649 Tracy Partain (Missouri State) - Columbia, MO 4/14

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