Shaheed named Athlete of the Week

INDIANAPOLIS - Masters athlete and noted jazz musician Nolan Shaheed has been named USA Track & Field's Athlete of the Week after he broke his own world record in the M60 800 meter race in 2:08.56 Saturday in Los Angeles.


Running at the Tommie "Tiny" Lister Classic, Shaheed lined-up next to collegiate athletes young enough to be his sons or even grandsons. With 200m to go, announcer Bill Fitzpatrick noted that Shaheed needed a 33-second closing 200m to set the world record. With the crowd behind him, Shaheed crossed the line half a second faster than his efforts at the Mt. Sac Relays the previous week.

"The college kids were wonderful celebrating with me and coming up to shake my hand after the race," Shaeed said. "Then I was named the athlete of the meet, and that was really heartwarming because there were hundreds of great college kids running at this meet, and for them to decide that mine was the greatest achievement of the meet was very touching for me."

Shaheed was first introduced to track in high school, but did not compete seriously until his late 20's. While he once clocked 1:46 for 800m, Shaheed has watched his times in the 800 and 1500m creep up by an average of one second each year as he gets older.

"I will be one of the 95-year-old guys running masters races," Shaeed admits. "I never want to retire from track and field; it's good for your body, and it's good for your mind.

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; February 2, Ashton Eaton; February 9, Ashton Eaton; February 16, Bernard Lagat; February 23, Ryan Crouser; March 2, Jillian Camarena-Williams; March 10, Bill Collins; March 16, Miles Batty; March 23, Shalane Flanagan; March 30, John Nunn; April 6, Aries Merritt; April 13, Gunnar Nixon; April 20, Desiree Davila; April 27, Nolan Shaheed

WEEK IN REVIEW -- APRIL 18-24
From USATF Statistician Glen McMicken

WINDY WACO WELCOMES TOP ONE-LAPPERS
Defending world champion Sanya Richards-Ross and 2004 Olympic champ Jeremy Wariner had to fight against fierce winds in Central Texas, but both 400m stars came away winners at the Michael Johnson/Dr Pepper Classic. Richards-Ross held off Texas A&M's NCAA indoor quarter champ Jessica Beard to win in 52.00, while local favorite Wariner, who ran for Baylor in college, opened his one-lap season with a 45.61.

The strong winds aided Sam Houston State's Artis Edwards to an 8.12m/26-7.75 win in the long jump, and also helped Baylor's Nick Lyons to a 78.39m/257-2 javelin win.

MITCHELL'S ACC DEUCE TAKES WORLD LEAD
Florida State's Maurice Mitchell was a surprise world leader after the ACC Championships at Duke, rolling to a 20.19 in the 200m to lead a medal sweep in that event by the Seminoles. He added a 10.03 PR in the 100m with a kindly 2.0 aiding wind to take second.

North Carolina's LaToya James moved atop the U.S. 400m hurdle list with her 55.83 victory, and Clemson's Bridgette Owens took over the No. 9 spot on the all-time U.S. junior women's 100m hurdles list with her 13.16 PR. Team USA's 2010 World Junior 200 gold medalist Stormy Kendrick led the Clemson women to the team title with her 100/200 double.

BATMAN FLIES TO AMERICAN LEAD WITH 400H WIN AT KANSAS RELAYS
Bershawn "Batman" Jackson, who won Olympic and World bronze at the last two international majors, hurdled his way to the U.S. lead in the 400m hurdles with his 48.98 at the Kansas Relays. Other stars at the meet included 2005 World 100m champ Lauryn Williams, who took a windy century win in 11.10, and Kellie Wells, who continued her tear in the 100m hurdles with a breezy 12.75 victory.

2008 Olympic silver medalist Sheena Tosta (UCLA 2005)opened her 400m hurdle season with a 57.04 to win, and former Indiana State NCAA indoor and outdoor pole vault champ Kylie Hutson soared to the U.S. outdoor lead with a 4.50m/14-9 clearance.

Ivory Williams picked up his second-straight Kansas Relays 100m title with a solid 10.05, while Antwon Hicks clocked 13.35 to win the 110m hurdles over 2010 U.S. bronze medalist Ronnie Ash.

RODGERS, KNIGHT SPEEDY DOWN SOUTH
World Indoor 60 silver medalist Mike Rodgers sizzled the Ole Miss track on the way to his second-fastest 100m ever, assuming the U.S. list lead with a 9.96, and he also took top honors in the 200m. Bianca Knight was the star of the women's meet, capturing a 22.68w/52.55 long sprint double.

WIND, WIND, MORE WIND... DUNCAN BLASTS 200 AT LSU
She had the assistance of a generous 3.2 mps tailwind, but no matter how strong the breeze, Kimberlyn Duncan's 200 was blazing fast. The LSU speedster racked up the third-fastest all-conditions collegiate 200 all-time with her 22.18. Zedric Thomas of LSU was also the beneficiary of ample winds in the men's triple jump, spanning 17.05m/55-11.25w, the best all-conditions outdoor mark by an American this year.

WILSON ON THE COMEBACK TRAIL
Former Indiana star Aarik Wilson hasn't triple jumped since the Olympics at Beijing in 2008, so it was a welcome sight to see the defending Olympic Trials champ begin a comeback with a 15.58m/51-1.5 at the Polytan Invitational in Bloomington. Wilson has battled debilitating leg injuries since his stellar '08 campaign.

Molly Beckwith, another former Hoosier star, clocked the best outdoor 800 time in the U.S. this year with her 2:01.49.

LAZAS JUMPS TO NO. 5 ON ALL-TIME JUNIOR DEC LIST
Arkansas freshman Kevin Lazas, who finished 14th for Team USA at last summer's World Junior Championships, overcame tough weather conditions at the McDonnell Invitational in Fayetteville to claim the No. 5 spot on the U.S. junior all-time decathlon list with a 7,542-point effort.

ELLIS MEET YIELDS HS STEEPLECHASE HISTORY
New York high schooler Eddie Owens ran the fastest prep 3,000m steeplechase time in 32 years at the Larry Ellis Invitational at Princeton. The Brooklyn Packer runner finished in 8:59.53, also an age-17 U.S. record.

CROUSER MAKING THROWS WAVES AGAIN...MAKE THAT CROUSERS
Oregon has a passel of talented Crousers roaming the throwing circles and runways, and 2011 indoor shot star Ryan Crouser showed that he is ready to make a splash outdoors after his 72-7.5 win in the shot at the Centennial Invitational. That toss gave the 2009 World Youth champ the No. 7 spot on the all-time outdoor prep list.

Sister Haley Crouser grabbed the No. 6 notch on the all-time high school list in the javelin at the same meet with her 173-0. For good measure, Washington prep Sean Keller moved to 10th on the U.S. junior all-time jav list with his 232-1.

About USA Track & Field

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