Meb Keflezighi
INDIANAPOLIS – Meb Keflezighi (Mammoth Lakes, Calif.) has been named USA Track & Field’s Athlete of the Week after setting a personal best at the ING New York City Marathon on Sunday.
Keflezighi was the top American finisher with a sixth place time of 2:09:13. Keflezighi bettered his previous best time of 2:09:15 from the 2009 ING New York City Marathon when he became the first American man to win since Alberto Salazar’s 1982 victory.
“New York brings the best of the best for the race and they set the stage,” said Keflezighi. “I was looking for a challenge. The marathon is always a challenge, and with the competition I gave it all I had. Basically I went out with the group and stayed with them as long as I could and pushed myself to the limit.”
Keflizighi was able to improve his time in spite of stomach distress in the later portions of the race.
“I had to stop and unfortunately throw up. I tried to go again, so the guys wouldn’t get ahead of me, but I had to stop again,” Keflezighi explained. “I went from maybe not finishing to finishing and breaking my PR by two seconds. It can’t get any better.”
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 www.usatf.org. 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; August 9, Leo Manzano; August 17, Magdalena Lewy Boulet; August 24, Brigetta Barrett; September 7, LaShinda Demus; September 14, Kasie Enman; September 21, Galen Rupp; September 28, Max King; October 5, Kathryn Martin; October 13, William Boland; October 19, Janet Cherobon-Bawcom; October 26, Michael Wardian; November 2 Sara Hall; November 9, Meb Keflezighi
