O'Connor named Athlete of the Week

For Immediate Release
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Contact:
Vicky Oddi
USA Track & Field
Communications Coordinator
317-713-4670; Vicky.Oddi@usatf.org


O'Connor named Athlete of the Week

INDIANAPOLIS - Nadine O'Connor has been named USA Track & Field's Athlete of the Week after breaking her own age-group world record in the women's pole vault Saturday at the California Striders Meet of Champions at Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa, Calif.

A multiple-time USATF Masters Athlete of the Year, O'Connor raised her own listed W65 world record in the pole vault with her clearance of 3.13 meters/10 feet 3.25 inches. Her previous record of 3.07m/10-0.75 was set in 2008.

Elsewhere, 2008 Olympic Trials champion Brittney Reese recorded a world-leading, personal best in the women's long jump with her leap of 7.06m/23-2 in Belem, Brazil. Reese's efforts marks her as the third farthest leaping American of all-time. 2009 USA Indoor champion Dan Taylor won the men's shot put at the Elite Throwers Meet at the University of Arizona on Saturday with a world-leading, personal best heave of 21.78m/71-5.5.

Now in its eighth 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.

2009 USATF Athlete of the Week Winners: January 6, Mason Finley; January 13, Amber Campbell; January 20, Josh Cox; January 27, German Fernandez; February 3, Ashton Eaton; February 10, Shalane Flanagan; February 17, Galen Rupp; February 25, Dexter Faulk; March 3, Terrence Trammell; March 10, Diana Pickler; March 17, Galen Rupp; March 25, Sumi Onodera-Leonard; April 1, German Fernandez; April 7, Cyrus Hostetler; April 14, Curtis Beach; April 21, Kara Goucher; April 28, Mason Finley; May 5, Chris Derrick; May 12, Natalie Willer; May 19, Will Claye; May 27, Nadine O'Connor.

BEST MARKS WEEK ENDING MAY 24

MEN

100 - 10.01 Mike Rodgers (Nike) - Belem, BRA 5/24
200 - 20.17 Rae Edwards (Nike) - Belem, BRA 5/24
400 - 45.41 Josh Scott (St. Augustine's) - San ANgelo, TX 5/23
Mile - 3:55.29 Leo Manzano (Nike) - St. Louis, MO 5/23
110H - 13.48 Ryan Wilson (unat) - Belem, BRA 5/24
400H - 49.29 LaRon Bennett (unat) - Belem, BRA 5/24
HJ - 2.33/7-7.75 Jesse Williams (Nike) - Belem, BRA 5/24
PV - 5.40/17-8.5 Kasey Burlingham (Cal-Stanislaus) - San Angelo, TX 5/23
LJ - 8.05/26-5 Miguel Pate (Nike) - Rabat, MAR 5/23
TJ - 15.97/52-4.75 Ramon Sparks (Abilene Christian) - San Angelo, TX 5/23
SP - 21.78/71-5.5 Dan Taylor (Nike) - Tucson, AZ 5/23 World leader
DT - 60.07/197-1 Adam Kuehl (unat) - Tucson, AZ 5/23
HT - 75.06/246-3 Cory Martin (Nike) - Uberlandia, BRA 5/20
JT - 78.63/257-11 Sean Furey (unat) - Tucson, AZ 5/23

WOMEN

100 - 11.30 Gloria Asumnu (adidas) - Uberlandia, BRA 5/20 & Rachelle Smith (Norforlk Real Deal) - Belem, BRA 5/24
200 - 22.87 Rachelle Smith (Norfolk Real Deal) - Belem, BRA 5/24
400 - 51.13 Debbie Dunn (Nike) - Belem, BRA 5/24
800 - 2:07.38 Lauren Davenport (Huntington) - Edwardsville, IL 5/23
3000SC - 10:22.34 Stephanie Perleberg (Wisc.-La Crosse) - Marietta, OH 5/22
400H - 54.19 Sheena Tosta (Nike) - Belem, BRA 5/24
HJ - 1.90/6-2.75 Chaunte Howard (Nike) - Rabat, MAR 5/23
PV - 4.30/14-1.25 Becky Holliday (New Balance) - Belem, BRA 5/24
LJ - 7.06/23-2 Brittney Reese (Nike) - Belem, BRA 5/24 World leader
TJ - 13.46/44-2 Erica McLain (Nike) - San Mateo, CA 5/24
SP - 17.83/58-6 Jessica Pressley (unat) - Tucson, AZ 5/23
DT - 66.21/217-2 Stephanie Brown Trafton (Nike) - San Mateo, CA 5/24 World leader
HT - 70.64/231-9 Loree Smith (NYAC) - Tucson, AZ 5/23
JT - 55.85/183-3 Kim Kreiner (Nike) - Tucson, AZ 5/23
Hept - 5586 Aisha Adams (Angelo State) - San Angelo, TX 5/22