INDIANAPOLIS - Khadevis Robinson has been named USA Track & Field’s Athlete of the Week after capturing his first major European win since 2006, by winning the 800m at the Rome Golden Gala Diamond League event in a time of 1:45.09 last Thursday.
© Lisa Coniglio, Photo Run
Robinson found himself at the back of the pack with 500m to go, in a race filled with stiff competition including Olympic 1500m champion, Asbel Kiprop. Robinson admitted that his many years of racing experience prepared him for just that scenario.
I’ve learned to be more patient at that point. In years past, I would be upset at myself and start pressing,” Robinson said. “This year, I’m like ‘okay, it is what it is’; I don’t panic.”
Robinson was able to move up through the field on the backstretch, and take the lead in the last 100m to clinch the win. Now in the 13th year of his professional career, Robinson not only has four USA Outdoor titles and four USA Indoor titles to his credit, but he also has a mature understanding of his life as a track and field athlete.
“Right now, running is important, but it is not the most important thing in my life,” Robinson said. “If you ask me, ‘who is Khadevis Robinson?’ I’ll describe myself as a father, a husband, then as a coach and then as a runner.” If you had asked me that same question in 1999, when I was right out of college, a professional track and field athlete may have been the very first thing I identified myself as.”
Robinson continues to be competitive on the track, while also being a family-man and the head cross country/assistant track and field coach at UNLV.
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; May 4, Emma Coburn; May 11, Willie Gault; May 18, English Gardner; May 25, Kibwé Johnson; June 1, Khadevis Robinson
WEEK IN REVIEW -- MAY 23-29
From USATF Statistician Glen McMicken
Hoffa back atop shot list after Hengelo
It's already been a see-saw year for the men's shot put, with Canada's Dylan Armstrong a surprising contender for international top honors, but at Hengelo, Holland on May 28, Reese Hoffa grabbed the world lead back with a 21.87/71-9 toss that opened a series featuring two more throws over 70-feet.
Reigning world indoor and outdoor champ Christian Cantwell took another step on his way back to the top after shoulder surgery, blasting a season-best 21.15/69-4.75 in third place.
Hardee sets bar high wth Gotzis dec win
With a free pass to Daegu in hand due to his status as reigning world champion, Trey Hardee put it all on the table at Gotzis, scoring 8,689 points, his second-highest total ever. That put him almost 250 points ahead of runner-up Leonel Suarez of Cuba and set a lofty target for any potential challengers for the WC gold.
Along the way, Hardee set lifetime bests in the long jump (7.88/25-10.25) and outdoor shot put (15.63/51-3.5).
Pearson wins NACAC hept gold
Emily Pearson won the javelin and scored 5,585 points to capture gold in the heptathlon at the NACAC Combined Events Championships at Kingston, Jamaica.
Chris Helwick was the top U.S. male finisher in the decathlon, placing third with 7,609 points, a season best.
Owens-Mitchell inches up junior list
Clemson's Bridgette Owens-Mitchell took over sixth place on the all-time U.S. junior 100m hurdle list with her 13.08 at the NCAA East Regional in Bloomington, Ind..
ACU, Grand Valley Tops in NCAA II
Abilene Christian's men won their 19th national title, including eight of the past 10 editions, and Grand Valley's women completed the 2010-11 track/cross country triple crown with their first national outdoor championship at Turlock, Calif.
Nick Jones broke a 28-year-old meet record in the discus with a winning throw of 60.75m/199-3 to lead the Wildcats to victory, while Grand Valley's dominant win was keyed by victories by Liz Murphy in the hammer and Lauren Buresh in the shot put.
Tradtional powers reign again in NCAA III
North Central's men won their sixth outdoor national title and Wisconsin-Oshkosh claimed the ninth women's outdoor crown in school history at the NCAA III Championships at Delaware, Ohio.
NCC's Dan Benton won the 400m and clinched the team win with a sterling anchor leg on the 4x400m as the Cardinals swept indoor/outdoor NCAA team trophies for the second year in a row. California Lutheran's Eric Flores had the top individual performance with his 65.21/213-11 hammer throw.
Oshkosh throwers won three of four available titles, with golds going to Jecel Gerner (SP), Brianna Strupp (DT) and Holly Ozanich (HT).
Shorter, Concordia (Oregon) take NAIA trophies
Travis Benton won the 100m by .002 seconds, and Nick Dodson clocked 50.84 to take gold in the 400m hurdels to lead Shorter (Ga.) University to the NAIA men's team title at Marion, Ind.
Concordia (Ore.) dominated the women's team standings with 86 points, almost 20 more than the runners-up. Olympic legend Mac Wilkins saw his throws crew win the shot put and go 1-2 in the discus to help the Cavaliers to their school's first-ever NAIA team championship in any sport.
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.
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