(2-17-09) From USATF Press Release - The University of Oregon's Galen Rupp has been named USA Track & Field's Athlete of the Week after setting the American Indoor record in the men's 5,000 meters Friday at the 2009 Tyson Invitational in Fayetteville, Ark.
A 2008 Olympian, Rupp's time of 13 minutes, 18.12 seconds in the men's 5,000m broke four records, the American indoor record, the collegiate indoor record and the American collegiate and Oregon record. The previous American record of 13:20.55 was set by Doug Padilla in 1982, four years before Rupp was born. The previous collegiate record of 13:20.4 was set in 1981 by Suleiman Nyambui. In that same race, Rupp's coach, Alberto Salazar, set the American collegiate and Oregon record of 13:22.6.
Elsewhere, Trevor Barron smashed the American junior record in the men's 20 km Race Walk, crossing the line in 1:37:49. The previous record of 1:42:15 was set in 1990 by Philip Dunn.
Now in its eighth 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.
2009 USATF Athlete of the Week Winners: January 6, Mason Finley; January 13, Amber Campbell; January 20, Josh Cox; January 27, German Fernandez; February 3, Ashton Eaton; February 10, Shalane Flanagan; February 17, Galen Rupp.
About USA Track & Field
USA Track & Field (USATF) is the National Governing Body for track and field, long-distance running and race walking in the United States. USATF encompasses the world's oldest organized sports, some of the most-watched events of Olympic broadcasts, the #1 high school and junior high school participatory sport and more than 30 million adult runners in the United States.
For more information on USATF, visit www.usatf.org
