Posted: February 21, 2007

Athletics: Lagat named Athlete of the Week

INDIANAPOLIS - Bernard Lagat has been named USA Track & Field's Athlete of the Week after setting an American record in the men's indoor 3,000 meters Saturday at the Norwich Union Grand Prix in Birmingham, England. Lagat, who also owns the mile and 1,500 indoor ARs, won a close race in Birmingham in 7 minutes, 32.43 seconds to smash Tim Broe's American record of 7:39.23 from 2002. The time is a 2007 world leader and makes Lagat the fourth-fastest man in history, behind multiple world record-breakers Daniel Komen, Haile Gebrselassie and Kenenisa Bekele. 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. 2007 USATF Athlete of the Week Winners: January 2, Thomas Morgan; January 9, Jacquelyn Coward; January 16, Ryan Hall; January 23, Johnny Dutch; January 30, Shalane Flanagan; February 6, Gail Devers; February 13, Alan Culpepper; February 20, Bernard Lagat. Best Marks Week Ending Feb. 18 MEN 60 - 6.60 Ronnie Pines (Oklahoma) - Norman, OK 2/18 6.60 John Woods (Hard Nutrition) - Golden, CO 2/16 200 - 21.10 Rubin Williams (Tennessee) - Blacksburg, VA 2/17 400 - 46.19 (ot) Greg Nixon (Unat.) - Flagstaff, AZ 2/17 800 - 1:49.94 Nick Lara (Adams State) - Lincoln, NE 2/17 Mile - 4:03.87 Josh McDougal (Liberty) - Clemson, SC 2/17 3000 - 7:32.43 Bernard Lagat (Nike) - Birmingham, ENG 2/17 American Record 60H - 7.52 Ron Bramlett (Nike) - Birmingham, ENG 2/17 HJ - 2.30/7-6.5 Tora Harris (Shore AC) - Bydgoszcz, POL 2/14 PV - 5.66/18-6.75 Jacob Pauli (Nike) - Cedar Falls, IA 2/16 LJ - 8.15/26-9 Brian Johnson (Nike) - Baton Rouge, LA 2/16 U.S. leader TJ - 16.93/55-6.5 Aarik Wilson (Nike) - Birmingham, ENG 2/17 SP - 21.12/69-3.5 Reese Hoffa (NYAC) - Birmingham, ENG 2/17 WT - 22.53/73-11 Jake Freeman (NYAC) - Princeton, NJ 2/17 WOMEN 60 - 7.22 Sani Roseby (Nike) - Albuquerque, NM 2/16 200 - 22.97 Bianca Knight (Mississippi HS) - Pocatello, ID 2/17 HS Record 400 - 52.76 Tonette Dyer (Nike) - Albuquerque, NM 2/16 800 - 2:08.18 Carmen Lagala (Vermont) - Boston, MA 2/17 Mile - 4:35.84 Collette Liss-Douglas (Unat.) - Bloomington, IN 2/16 60H - 7.97 Nichole Denby (Nike) - Albuquerque, NM 2/16 HJ - 1.86/6-1.25 Gwen Wentland (Nike) & Kaylene Wagner (Kansas State) - Manhattan, KS 2/15 PV - 4.60/15-1 Lacy Janson (Nike) - Albuquerque, NM 2/16 LJ - 6.38/20-11.25 Kwonya Ferguson (St. Augustine) - Blacksburg, VA 2/17 TJ - 13.43/44-0.75 Tiombe Hurd (Nike) - Baton Rouge, LA 2/16 SP - 17.83/58-6 Liz Wanless (NYAC) - West Lafayette, IN 2/17 WT - 24.16/79-3.25 Amber Campbell (Mjolnir) - Columbia, SC 2/17