Tyson Gay Athlete of the Week
INDIANAPOLIS - Tyson Gay has been named USA Track & Field's Athlete of the Week after winning both the men's 100 and 200 meters and the men's Visa Championship Series title over the weekend at the 2007 AT&T USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Indianapolis.
The 2006 USA 100m champion, Gay won the men's 100 meters in a meet-record 9.84 seconds on Friday. Running into a headwind of .5mps, the time is the fastest in the world this year and the second-fastest ever run into a headwind, 2000 Olympic gold medalist Maurice Greene having run 9.82 into a -0.2 headwind at the 2001 World Championships in Edmonton. Gay put on another impressive display Sunday in the 200, winning in 19.62 seconds (0.3 meters-per-second headwind), the #2 time ever, behind only Michael Johnson's world record of 19.32 from the 1996 Olympics. It breaks Johnson's meet record of 19.66 set in 1996, which at the time was a world record. In addition to two national titles, Gay came away from the meet with the men's Visa Championship as the top male performer of the Visa Championship Series.
Also at the 2007 AT&T USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships, Tiffany Williams won the women's 400m hurdles, leading the race from early on and winning in a personal-best time of 53.28. Williams' performance was worth 1,227 points using IAAF scoring tables and earning her the women's Visa Championship Series crown.
Also at Indy, Breaux Greer broke his own American record in the javelin and won his record eighth straight national title Thursday with a throw of 91.29 meters/299 feet 6 inches. It marked the fourth time in his career he's broken the AR.
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; February 27, Christian Cantwell; March 6, Fasil Bizuneh; March 13, Natasha Hastings; March 20, Anthony Famiglietti; March 27, Nadine O'Connor; April 4, Natasha Hastings; April 10, Diana Pickler; April 17, Shalane Flanagan; April 24, Virginia Tech women's team, Ryan Hall; May 1, Jen Rhines; May 8, Walter Henning; May 15, Allyson Felix; May 22, Breaux Greer; May 29, Walter Dix; June 5, Jenn Stuczynski; June 12, Walter Dix; Chanelle Price, June 19; Tyson Gay, June 27.
BEST MARKS WEEK ENDING JUNE 24
MEN
100 - 9.84 Tyson Gay (adidas) - Indianapolis, IN 6/22 World leader
200 - 19.62 Tyson Gay (adidas) - Indianapolis, IN 6/24 World leader
400 - 44.05 Angelo Taylor (Unat.) - Indianapolis, IN 6/23
800 - 1:44.37 Khadevis Robinson (Nike) - Indianapolis, IN 6/24U.S. leader
1500 - 3:34.82 Alan Webb (Nike) - Indianapolis, IN 6/24 U.S. leader
3000SC - 8:24.46 Josh McAdams (New Balance) - Indianapolis, IN 6/24
5000 - 13:30.73 Bernard Lagat (Nike) - Indianapolis, IN 6/22
10,000 - 28:13.51 Abdi Abdirahman (Nike) - Indianapolis, IN 6/21
20k Walk - 1:26:43 Kevin Eastler (US Air Force) - Indianapolis, IN 6/23
110H - 13.08 Terrence Trammell (Mizuno) - Indianapolis, IN 6/24
400H - 47.72 James Carter (Unat.) - Indianapolis, IN 6/23 World leader
HJ - 2.27/7-5.25 Jim Dilling (Minnesota-Mankato) - Indianapolis, IN 6/24
PV - 5.70/18-8.25 Brad Walker (Nike), Jeff Hartwig (Nike) & Jacob Pauli (Nike) - Indianapolis, IN 6/22
LJ - 8.30/27-2.75 Dwight Phillips (Nike) - Indianapolis, IN 6/22 U.S. leader
TJ - 17.06/55-11.75 Aarik Wilson (Nike) - Indianapolis, IN 6/24
SP - 21.47/70-5.25 Reese Hoffa (NYAC) - Indianapolis, IN 6/23
DT - 64.04/210-1 Michael Robertson (Stanford) - Indianapolis, IN 6/24
HT - 78.10/256-3 A.G. Kruger (Nike) - Indianapolis, IN 6/22 U.S. leader
JT - 91.29/299-6 Breaux Greer (adidas) - Indianapolis, IN 6/21 American Record
Dec - 8352 Tom Pappas (Nike) - Indianapolis, IN 6/23
WOMEN
100 - 11.01 Torri Edwards (Nike) - Indianapolis, IN 6/21
200 - 22.34 Allyson Felix (adidas) - Indianapolis, IN 6/24
400 - 49.64 Dee Dee Trotter (adidas) - Indianapolis, IN 6/23 World leader
800 - 1:59.47 Alysia Johnson (California) - Indianapolis, IN 6/24
1500 - 4:07.04 Treniere Clement (Nike) - Indianapolis, IN 6/23
3000SC - 9:34.64 Jenny Barringer (Colorado) - Indianapolis, IN 6/23 U.S. leader
5000 - 14:51.75 Shalane Flanagan (Nike) - Indianapolis, IN 6/22
10,000 - 31:57.00 Deena Kastor (Asics) - Indianapolis, IN 6/21 U.S. leader
20k Walk - 1:37:28 Teresa Vaill (Walk USA) - Indianapolis, IN 6/24
100H - 12.63 Ginnie Powell (Nike) - Indianapolis, IN 6/23
400H - 53.28 Tiffany Williams (Reebok) - Indianapolis, IN 6/24 World leader
HJ - 1.89/6-2.25 Amy Acuff (Asics) & Sharon Day (Cal Poly SLO) - Indianapolis, IN 6/23
PV - 4.45/14-7.25 Jenn Stuczynski (adidas) & Niki McEwen (Unat.) - Indianapolis, IN 6/24
LJ - 6.60/21-8 Brittney Reese (Ole Miss) & Rose Richmond (Nike) - Indianapolis, IN 6/23
TJ - 14.08/46-2.5 Shani Marks (Unat.) - Indianapolis, IN 6/21
SP - 18.74/61-5.75 Kristin Heaston (Nike) - Indianapolis, IN 6/24
DT - 60.63/198-11 Suzy Powell-Roos (Asics) - Indianapolis, IN 6/22
HT - 72.41/237-7 Brittany Riley (Southern Illinois) - Indianapolis, IN 6/23
JT - 59.65/195-8 Dana Pounds (US Air Force) - Indianapolis, IN 6/22
Hep - 6090 Hyleas Fountain (Nike) - Indianapolis, IN 6/23