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From David Monti
© 2007 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved RaceResultsWeekly.com
In advance of Thursday's opening of the USATF convention in Honolulu, Olympian Dathan Ritzenhein was named Visa Humanitarian Athlete of the Year.
Ritzenhein, who finished second at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Men's Marathon on Nov. 3, was recognized for donating his first place prize money from the Healthy Kidney 10-K in New York City last May to the race beneficiary, the National Kidney Foundation.
"I made a pact with myself before the race that if I'm fortunate enough to pick up this course record the least I can do is give back the first place prize money seeing as how this is professional athletics, but it's a race for charity," said Ritzenhein in a prepared statement. The athlete donated the $7500 first place check; he also earned a $20,000 bonus for setting a new Central Park 10-K record of 28:08 (28:07.2), also a personal best.
"Dathan's generosity is a wonderful example of how finding a creative way to donate the resources we have to support charitable organizations that assist individuals in need," commented USATF CEO Craig Masback.
The award from Visa caps a very strong year for Ritzenhein on all three surfaces. In cross country, he finished third at the U.S. Championships last February. On the road he won the Healthy Kidney 10-K over Australian ace Craig Mottram, setting a new Central Park and personal record, and set a personal best for the marathon during the Trials (2:11:07). On the track he dropped his career best times for 3000m to 7:39.03, two miles to 8:11.74, and 5000m to 13:16.06. He also finished third at the AT&T USA Outdoor Championships at 10,000m, and finished ninth at the IAAF World Championships at the same distance.
Ritzenhein lives in Eugene, Ore., with his wife Kalin and daughter Addison. He is coached by Brad Hudson and is represented by Peter Stubbs Management.
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