Marcus Krah (Durham Striders, NC) named USATF Athlete of the Week

INDIANAPOLIS - Marcus Krah has been named USA Track & Field's Athlete of the Week after earning three gold medals and a national youth record at the USATF National Junior Olympics Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Wichita Kan.

Krah, who competes for the Durham Striders, opened up competition with a record in the youth boys' triple jump. His winning leap of 13.54m/44-5.25 bettered Michael Martin's 31-year-old national record (of 13.41m) and led the next closest competitor by almost three feet.

Later in the meet, Krah followed up his record-setting performance in the triple jump with wins in the youth boys' long jump (6.50m/21-4) and 100m hurdles (13.29).

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; June 8, Carmelita Jeter; June 15, Lukas Verzbicas; June 22, Aisling Cuffe; June 29, Trevor Barron; July 6, Aldrich Bailey; July 13, Jillian Camarena-Williams; July 20, Johnnye Valien; July 27, Bernard Lagat; August 3, Marcus Krah

WEEK IN REVIEW -- July 25-31
From USATF Statistician Glen McMicken

STOCKHOLM SEES MERRITT RETURN, FLANAGAN NEAR-MISS

In his first race since September 2009, LaShawn Merritt returned to the track at the top, finishing second in the 400m at the Stockholm Diamond League meet on July 29 with a solid 44.74. Olympic 400m hurdles champ Angelo Taylor also nabbed a season best with his 44.82 in fourth.

Shalane Flanagan, who holds the American women's 10K record, narrowly missed again in her attempt to add the 5K record to her collection as she ended up fourth at 14:46.80.

Other top performances came from Christian Cantwell, who won the men's shot with a toss of 21.70m/71-2.5, and Jill Camarena-Williams, who surpassed 65-feet again in the women's shot, placing third at 19.87m/65-2.25.

Jesse Williams cleared 2.32m/7-7.25 for second in the high jump, and Jason Richardson pulled off a big upset in the 110m hurdles with his 13.17 win over David Oliver, who clocked 13.28 in second. In the women's 100m, a strong headwind hampered the times, but Carmelita Jeter won in 11.15 over Marshevet Myers (11.21).

SUHR SOARS IN ROCHESTER

American Record holder Jenn Suhr used a low-key meet on July 26 in Rochester, N.Y., to soar to a season-best 4.91m/16-1.25 at the Great Lakes Vault Series. That effort is the second highest ever by a U.S. female vaulter. Three days later at Stockholm, Suhr was third at 4.64m/15-2.75.

LEWIS HURDLES TO PR AT BUDAPEST

Yvette Lewis lowered her 100m hurdles PR to 12.76 to win the Istvan Gyulai Memorial meet in Budapest, .02 ahead of Nia Ali of USC. Florida's NCAA champ Christian Taylor won the men's triple jump with a 17.06m/55-11.75 effort, and Sanya Richards-Ross cruised to a season best in the 200m with a 22.63 to place second.

GARCIA STEEPLE YIELDS PR IN BELGIUM

Virginia's Stephanie Garcia raced to a lifetime best 9:41.12 to place second in the 3,000m steeplechase at Ghent, Belgium, on July 30. Garcia, who finished fourth at the USA Championships in Eugene, dipped under the Daegu A standard with that time.

HOLLIDAY WINS GERMAN VAULT

Becky Holliday cleared 4.50m/14-9 to win the Jockgrim vault title in Germany on July 27.


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