UCLA Alum Suzy Powell Named USA T&F Athlete Of The Week
May 1, 2002
INDIANAPOLIS - Two-time Olympian Suzy Powell, who was a UCLA thrower from 1995-98, has been named USA Track & Field's Athlete of the Week after her American record women's discus throw at last weekend's University of California San Diego Open.
Powell's throw of 69.44 meters/227 feet, 10 inches bettered the record of 66.10m/216-10 set by Carol Cady in 1986. Powell's performance is the best in the world since Russia's Natalya Sadova threw 70.02m/229-9 on June 23, 1999.
During her Bruin career, Powell, from Modesto, was a six-time NCAA Outdoor All-American and in 1997 as a junior, won the discus and javelin at the Pac-10 meet. She's the school record-holder in the discus (214-0).
Other notable performers included Suzy Favor Hamilton, who posted a world-leader in the 3,000 meters of 8 minutes, 56.03 seconds Saturday at the 93rd Drake Relays, despite light rain and windy conditions with gusts up to 25 miles an hour.
Additional world-leading marks were turned in by 2001 World Outdoor Championships long jump silver medalist Savante Stringfellow, who leaped 8.33m/27-4 at Fort-de-France, Martinique. Also in Martinique, three-time world outdoor champion and 1996 Olympic gold medalist Allen Johnson ran the best time in the world this year in the 110m hurdles of 13.04. Liberty University's Heather Sagan ran a world-leading 4:37.53 in the women's mile at the Penn Relays.
2001 U.S. decathlon champion Kip Janvrin won his specialty for the 13th time in his career at the Drake Relays with 7,775 points. Janvrin owns more individual titles at the Drake Relays than anyone in the event's history. There were 11 U.S.-leading performances in this week's competition. (See list below.)
Now in its second year, USATF's Athlete of the Week program is designed to recognize performers at all levels of the sport. USATF names a new honoree each week and features the athlete on the USATF Web site. Selections are based on top performances and results from the previous week.
2002 USATF Athlete of the Week winners: January 3, Jim Garcia; January 8, Mary Louise Michelsohn; January 15, Tamara Diles; January 22, Miguel Pate; January 29, Regina Jacobs; February 5, Jeff Hartwig; February 12, Meb Keflezighi; February 19, Curt Clausen; February 26, Jeff Hartwig; March 2, Nicole Teter; March 12, Jeff Hartwig; March 19, Aretha Hill; March 26, Deena Drossin; April 2, Kim Fitchen; April 9, Deena Drossin; April 16, Khalid Khannouchi; April 23, Kenta Bell, April 30; Suzy Powell.
TOP OUTDOOR PERFORMANCES, WEEK OF APRIL 29
100 METERS - 10.09 - Brian Lewis at Fort-de-France, Martinique
200 METERS - 20.31 - Brian Lewis at Fort-de-France, Martinique
ONE-MILE RUN - 4:02.01 - Robert Gary at Penn Relays (U.S. leader)
3,000-METERS STEEPLECHASE - 8:31.68 - Jeremy Tolman (Weber State) at Eugene, Oregon
110-METERS HURDLES - 13.04 - Allen Johnson at Fort-de-France, Martinique (world leader)
400-METERS HURDLES - 48.70 - Eric Thomas at Fort-de-France, Martinique (U.S. leader)
HIGH JUMP - 7-6.5 (2.30m) - Tora Harris (Princeton) at Penn Relays (ties U.S. leader)
POLE VAULT - 18-10.25 (5.75m) - Tim Mack at Knoxville, Tenn. (U.S. leader)
LONG JUMP - 27-4 (8.33m) - Savante Stringfellow at Fort-de-France, Martinique (world leader)
SHOT PUT - 69-1.25 (21.06m) - Christian Cantwell (Missouri) at Drake Relays
DISCUS THROW - 216-3 (65.92m) - Nick Petrucci at LaJolla, Calif. 212-3 (64.71m) - John Godina at LaJolla, Calif.
HAMMER THROW - 241-1 (73.48m) - Kevin McMahon at Eugene, Oregon (U.S. leader). 233-3 (71.09m) - Lance Deal at Eugene, Oregon
DECATHLON - 7775 - Kip Janvrin at Drake Relays
WOMEN'S 400 METERS - 52.19 - Suziann Reid at Fort-de-France, Martinique
WOMEN'S ONE MILE RUN - 4:37.53 - Heather Sagan (Liberty U.) at Penn Relays (world leader)
WOMEN'S 3,000 METERS - 8:56.03 - Suzy Favor-Hamilton at Drake Relays (world leader)
WOMEN'S 5,000 METERS - 15:52.65 - Amy Rudolph at Drake Relays
WOMEN'S 400-METERS HURDLES - 56.64 - Lashinda Demus (South Carolina) at Penn Relays
WOMEN'S HIGH JUMP - 6-2.25 (1.89m) - Gina Curtis (Iowa State) at Drake Relays
WOMEN'S POLE VAULT - 14-0 (4.27m) - Jillian Schwartz at Drake Relays
WOMEN'S SHOT PUT - 58-3 (17.75m) - Teri Steer at Drake Relays
WOMEN'S DISCUS THROW - 227-10 (69.44m) - Suzy Powell at LaJolla, Calif. (American record & world leader). 213-7 (65.10m) - Aretha Hill at Knoxville, Tenn.
WOMEN'S HAMMER THROW - 227-7 (69.34m) - Anna Norgren-Mahon at Penn Relays (U.S. leader). 223-3 (68.05m) - Dawn Ellerbe at Penn Relays