USA Track & Field – News – Wilson named USA Track & Field Athlete of the Week

INDIANAPOLIS – Ajeé Wilson (Neptune, N.J.) has been named USA Track & Field’s Athlete of the Week after running the fastest ever indoor 600m time by a junior woman. Wilson won the NYU Team Challenge on Jan. 19 in a time of 1:27.30 at the New York Armory.

Wilson’s time broke the 31-year-old mark of Great Britain’s Linsey Macdonald who ran 1:27.4 in December of 1981.

Wilson, the 2011 USATF Youth Athlete of the year, owns 800m titles from the 2012 IAAF World Junior Championships and the 2011 IAAF World Youth Championships. Wilson will return to the Armory for the Millrose Games on February 16 where she will join Alysia Montano in an attempt to better the 600m indoor American record of 1:26.56 held by Delisa Walton-Floyd since 1981.

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

Week in Review – January 14-20
From USATF Statistician Glen McMicken

MOORE CLIMBS INTO 500M TOP 10
2012 World Indoor 800m bronze medalist Erica Moore moved to No. 9 on the all-time U.S. list in the 500 meters Jan. 18 with her 1:09.98 at the Virginia Tech Invitational.

BROOKS BACK IN FORM WITH BIG SHOT
Defending NCAA indoor and outdoor champ and Olympic Trials third-placer Tia Brooks of Oklahoma uncorked her second-best shot put ever Jan. 19 at Norman with an 18.76m/61-6.75.

'11 PAJ CHAMP LOVETT TAKES DOWN VENERABLE GATOR HURDLES RECORD
Florida's Eddie Lovett, who won gold in the 110m hurdles at the 2011 Pan Am Junior Championships, broke a 23-year-old school record in the 55m hurdles Jan. 17 at the Gator Invitational, clocking 7.10 to break Earl Diamond's previous record of 7.15.

DUNCAN DEUCE STREAK CONTINUES
LSU's Kimberlyn Duncan hasn't lost to a collegian in the 200m since 2011, and she picked up her 19th win in a row Jan. 19 at the Texas A&M Triangular with a world-leading 23.15. Duncan's win helped her team to a win, while the Aggies rolled to the men's team title.

YOUNGER BURRELL A CHIP OFF THE OLD BLOCK
Texas high schooler Cameron Burrell, son of former 100m world record-holder and current University of Houston head coach Leroy Burrell, dashed to a national prep-leading 6.69 in the 60m at the Carl Lewis High School Invitational Jan. 19 in Houston.

OLYMPIC RUNNER-UP SOARS TO OPEN '13
Kansas State's Olympic high jump silver medalist Erik Kynard cleared 2.29mm/7-6 in Manhattan Jan. 19, the best mark by an American this year.

WHITING WINS FIRST MEN'S SHOT SHOWDOWN
Reigning world indoor champion Ryan Whiting took top honors in the season's first big shot put showdown at Nordhausen, Germany, on Jan. 18, topping the world list with his 21.10m/69-2.75 to beat Olympic bronze medalist Reese Hoffa and three-time world indoor and outdoor bronze medalist Ralf Bartels of Germany.