Shorey named Athlete of the Week

INDIANAPOLIS – 2008 Olympic Trials third-place finisher Ben Shorey has been named USA Track & Field’s Athlete of the Week after finishing first Sunday at the 2011 USA 50 km Race Walk Championships in Tustin, California.

A resident of Kenosha, Wis., Shorey took command of the race from the beginning and was never challenged in winning his first 50 km national title in 4 hours 16 minutes. Two-time Olympian and six-time U.S. 20 km champion Tim Seaman of Imperial Beach, Calif., was the runner-up in 4:25:18, with Patrick Stroupe of Armstrong, Mt., third in 4:27:23.

The women’s winner was Erin Talcott of Shore AC in 5:11:04, with Kathryn Grimes of Sherwood, Ore., the runner-up in 5:20:32 and Teri Storc of San Diego, Calif., third in 6:44:16.

Now in its tenth 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.


Winners: January 5, Bill Tribou; January 12, Tyler Sorensen; January 20, Josh Cox; January 26, Ben Shorey.

WEEK IN REVIEW -- JANUARY 17-23 (From USATF Statistician Glen McMicken)



MILLROSE HEADLINERS SHOW WELL IN TUNE-UPS

Reigning world indoor and outdoor shot put champion Christian Cantwell, who has said he will undergo shoulder surgery after the Millrose Games, opened his brief 2011 indoor season with a world-leading win at Nordhausen, Germany, tossing the 16-pounder 21.21 meters/69-7. Reese Hoffa was second with a 21.00m/68-10.75 effort.

At the New Balance Games at New York's Armory, Olympic and World Indoor relay gold medalist Natasha Hastings won the 400m in a season-best 52.29, which at the time was a world-leading mark.

Multi-talented Ashton Eaton, who set the heptathlon World Record last year while a senior at Oregon, prepped for the Millrose Multi Challenge with a quartet of quality showings at the Princeton Relays, including PRs in the 60mH (7.68) and shot (14.18m/46-6.25).

World #1 400m hurdler Bershawn Jackson moved up from his comfort zone to race over 800m at Virginia Tech's Hokie Invitational, finishing second in an indoor PR 1:54.42.

One of the men who will line up against Bernard Lagat in the Wanamaker mile, Rob Novak, became the 350th U.S. man to join the sub-4:00 club with his 3:59.70 at the New Balance meet. Craig Miller won the race with a U.S.-leading 3:59.10.

NEW NAME, SAME GREAT TALENT

American 3000m steeplechase record holder Jenny Simpson (nee Barringer) showed she has lost nothing after missing seven months due to a hip injury, clocking a world-leading 4:28.60 in the mile at the New Balance Games.

NCAA POWERS CLASH, BEARD HAS DYNAMITE DOUBLE

Reigning NCAA outdoor men's and women's champions Texas A&M played the role of unfriendly host to SEC behemoth LSU, taking a pair of dual meet wins at College Station, winning the men's title 84-75, and the women's by a 91-67 margin. 2009 World 4x400m relay gold medalist Jessica Beard had a stellar 200/400 double for the Aggies, zipping to a world-leading 22.95 in the deuce and a 52.97 in the long dash.

BAYER, BERRY BLAST BIG BESTS IN BLOOMINGTON

Indiana's Andrew Bayer led three Hoosiers under 8:00 in the 3000 at the Gladstein Invitational in Bloomington with his world-leading PR 7:48.35, making him the 10th-fastest collegiate performer ever. Gwen Berry of Southern Illinois added more than seven feet to her personal best in the women's 20-pound weight throw, moving to #8 on the U.S. all-time performers list with her 22.71m/74-6.25 toss.

KENDRICK STORMS TO 60m LEAD

Clemson's Stormy Kendrick, who won 200m gold for Team USA at the 2010 World Junior Championships, ripped to a world-leading 7.22 in the 60m at the Hokie Invitational.

For more information on USA Track & Field, visit: www.usatf.org.



About USA Track & Field

USA Track & Field (USATF) is the National Governing Body for track & field, long-distance running and race walking in the United States. USATF encompasses the world's oldest organized sports, the World's #1 Track & Field Team, the most-watched events at the Olympics, the #1 high school and junior high school participatory sport, and more than 30 million adult runners in the United States: www.usatf.org.