Bell Named USA Track & Field Athlete of the Week

7/17/2013

INDIANAPOLIS — William Bell, Sr., (Jonesboro, Ark.) has been named USA Track & Field’s Athlete of the Week after setting a world record in the men’s 90-94 age group at the USA Masters Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Olathe, Kan.

Bell (M91) set the world record when he cleared 2.05m/6-08.75 in the pole vault. The vault broke the previous record held by Ralph Maxwell established in 2011 by more than two feet.

“I did what I expected to do. I’m very pleased and happy nothing went wrong,” Bell said. “We had a strong tailwind and I thought it could have really hindered us. Fortunately, it was not a problem.”

His only event in Olathe, Bell arrived at the USA Masters Outdoor Championships with the goal in mind of setting the world record.

“I knew I didn’t have any competition in my age group, so I just tried to better the mark someone else already made,” Bell said.

Bell will compete in his current age-group for the next three years before he plans to attempt the world record in the 95-99 age group.

“I’m getting ready for the 95 to 99 age group,” Bell said with a laugh. “I know that is really ambitious, but I have been doing so well I just think I should keep going.”

Now in its 12th 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 www.usatf.org. Selections are based on top performances and results from the previous week.

2013 Winners: January 9, Bobby Mack; January 16, Mary Cain; January 22, Ajeé Wilson; January 30, Duane Solomon; February 6, Chris Derrick; February 13, Jeremy Taiwo; February 20, Alysia Montaño; February 27, Galen Rupp; March 6, Jenn Suhr; March 13, Tia Brooks; March 20, Bridget Franek; March 27, Ben True; April 3, Darvis “Doc” Patton; April 10, Octavious Freeman; April 24, Erik Kynard; May 1, Queen Harrison; May 8, Tyson Gay; May 15, Jon Olsen; May 22, Mary Cain; May 29, Michael Tinsley; June 5, Mary Cain; June 12, Brianna Rollins; June 26, Brianna Rollins; July 3, Thomas Burns; July 10, Ryan Whiting; July 17, William Bell. Sr.


Week in Review
From USATF Statistician Glen McMicken


HILL, MCGEE SEAL MOSCOW SPOTS AT HEATED HEUSDEN
Collegians Ryan Hill and Cory McGee had to go all the way to Belgium to do it, but both runners assured themselves of a trip to Moscow with their efforts at the Heusden-Zolder meet on July 13.

North Carolina State's Hill needed the B in the 5,000m to make the team, and he went one better with a huge personal best of13:14.22 to claim the A. McGee added to the Florida Gator contingent for Worlds with her personal record of 4:06.67 to meet the 1500m B.

The fast section of the 5 km saw three more noteworthy personal record's, as Ben True and Hassan Mead finished under 13:12, and Andrew Bumbalough was right behind at 13:12.01.

U.S. men took the top spots in both sections of the 1500m, with Jordan McNamara clocking 3:35.39 and Matt Elliott rolling to a personal record of 3:37.07. Other American winners were David Verburg in the 400m, Kristi Castlin in the 100mH, Turquoise Thompson in the 400mH and Mary Saxer in the pole vault.

JOHNSON DROPS HALF PERSONAL RECORD AT MADRID
Brandon Johnson's climb to the top of the 800m ranks continued at Madrid on July 13, where he lowered his lifetime best to 1:43.84 to win. Tyler Mulder also slipped under 1:45 in that race with a 1:44.89 in fourth.

The women's 100m was dominated by Americans, led by Barbara Pierre's swift 10.92 ahead of Shalonda Solomon (11.04) and Alex Anderson (11.07). Gabriele Anderson won the 1500m in 4:08.54, and Latavia Thomas was victorious in the 800m at 2:01.75. Justin Gaymon took the men's 400mH in 48.69, his second win in a row.

LEWIS HURDLES TO LIFETIME BEST AT SOTTEVILLE
Beating a field that included reigning Olympic and World champion Sally Pearson, Yvette Lewis slashed her personal record in the 100mH to 12.72 at Sotteville-lés-Rouens, France, on July 8. Des Moines 200m third-placer Curtis Mitchell had a barely-windy (+2.1) 20.20 to win, and Garrett Heath moved atop the U.S. outdoor 3,000m list with his 7:44.87 personal record.

TRIO OF U.S. WINNERS AT BUDAPEST
2011 World champion Carmelita Jeter sped to an 11.07 to win the 100m and lead a trio of U.S. victors at Budapest on July 10. Queen Harrison hurdled 12.71 to edge '12 Olympic bronze medalist Kellie Wells, and newly-minted U.S. champ Dalilah Muhammad won her first outing since nationals with a 54.87 in the 400mH.

In the men's 800m, Tyler Mulder notched a personal record of 1:44.60 to take third, while defending World champion Jason Richardson was second in the 110mH. Olympic silver and gold medalists Will Claye and Christian Taylor went 2-3 in the triple jump, finishing one and two centimeters behind Cuba's Pedro Pablo Pichardo (17.18m/56-4.5).

SOLOMON, SMITH SHINE AT NAIMETTE-XHOVÉMONT
Friendly breezes pushed Shalonda Solomon and Loreal Smith to impressive wins at Naimette-Xhovémont, Belgium, on July 10. Solomon sprinted away with the 100m in 10.97w (+3.0), while Smith turned back Kristi Castlin with a 12.66w in the 100mH.

Oregon's Elijah Greer won the 800m, and Justin Gaymon was fastest in the 400mH at 49.68. Heather Kampf took top honors in the women's 1500m for the other U.S. win.

BRACY WINS AGAIN
Former Pan Am Junior champion Marvin Bracy won his second European race with his second-fastest legal time ever on July 13, taking the 100m in 10.20 at Ljubljana, Slovenia. Tiffany Townsend was a double dash winner, clocking an impressive 22.48 in the 200m, and Dusty Jonas won the men's high jump.

KAMPF PERSONAL RECORD GOOD FOR BELGIUM WIN
Clipping almost three-tenths of a second off her lifetime best, Heather Kampf won the 800m in 2:00.12 at Kortrijk, Belgium, on July 14. Texas-ex Joe Stilin won the men's 3,000m in a personal record of 7:49.64, while Ty Akins picked up a win in the 110mH at 13.53. Tiffany Williams made it a U.S. sweep of the sprint hurdles with her 13.58 in the 100mH.


Joey Lamar
Communications Intern
USA Track & Field
e-mail