Onodera-Leonard named USA Athlete of the Week

Press Release provided courtesy of USA Track & Field.

INDIANAPOLIS - Sumi Onodera-Leonard has been named USA Track & Field’s Athlete of the Week after setting two world records in the W80 age-division in winning four events at the 2009 USA Masters Indoor Track and Field Championships at Prince George’s Sports and Learning Center in Landover, Md.

At 80-years old, Onodera-Leonard opened her competition Saturday with a win in the 60 meters in 12.55 seconds. She came back later that day to set a world age-division record in the 400m, crossing the line in 2:03.81 to demolish the previous record of 2:15.67 set by Carol Peebles in 2004. On Sunday, Onodera-Leonard first won the 200m in 48.49 and then set a world record in the 800m in 4:59.60, surpassing the previous record of 5:16.53 set by Canada’s Ivy Granstrom in 1996.

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; February 25, Dexter Faulk; March 3, Terrence Trammell; March 10, Diana Pickler; March 17, Galen Rupp; March 25, Sumi Onodera-Leonard.

BEST MARKS WEEK ENDING MARCH 22

MEN

100 - 10.12 Marcus Brunson (unat) - Tucson, AZ 3/21
200 - 20.71 Jeremy Dodson (Colorado) - Boulder, CO 3/21
400 - 46.33 Joel Stallworth (unat) - Irvine, CA 3/21
800 - 1:48.25 Steve Sherer (NYAC) - Sacramento, CA 3/21
400H - 49.52 Jeshua Anderson (Washington State) - Los Angeles, CA 3/21
HJ - 2.21/7-3 Marquis Mack (unat) - Tampa, FL 3/20
PV - 5.25/17-2.75 Whitney Neves (BYU) - Tempe, AZ 3/21 & Derek Scott (USC) - Los Angeles, CA 3/21
LJ - 7.82/25-8 Johnta Griffin (Boston Elite) - Lake Buena Vista, FL 3/20
TJ - 16.15/53-0 Ronald Carter (unat) - Cerritos, CA 3/21
SP - 19.59/64-3.25 Rhuben Williams (Shore AC) - Athens, GA 3/20
DT - 64.86/212-9 Rashaud Scott (Kentucky) - Tempe, AZ 3/21
HT - 65.73/215-7 Nate Rolfe (Georgia) - Athens, GA 3/20
JT - 78.74/258-4 Corey White (USC) - Los Angeles, CA 3/21
Dec - 7452 Kevin Dwyer (Miami/Ohio) - Charlotte, NC 3/20

WOMEN

400 - 53.13 Ashlee Kidd (unat) - Coral Gables, FL 3/21
800 - 2:02.80 Geena Gall (Michigan) - Irvine, CA 3/21
1500 - 4:20.05 Geena Gall (Michigan) - Irvine, CA 3/20
3000 - 9:30.26 Arianna Lambie (Nike) - Eugene, OR 3/21
5000 - 16:24.48 Amanda Lorenzen (Brooks/TIE) - Charlotte, NC 3/20
100H - 13.35 Jackie Johnson (Nike) - Tempe, AZ 3/21
400H - 57.06 Tiffany Williams (Reebok) - Lake Buena Vista, FL 3/21
HJ - 1.82/5-11.5 Chaunte Howard (Nike) - Lake Buena Vista, FL 3/21
PV - 4.16/13-7.75 Brysun Stately (USC) - Los Angeles, CA 3/21
LJ - 6.31/20-8.5 DeAna Carson (Baylor) - Waco, TX 3/21
SP - 16.69/54-9.25 Jessica Pressley (unat) - Tempe, AZ 3/21
DT - 58.94/193-4 Summer Pierson (unat) - Tempe, AZ 3/21
HT - 69.01/226-5 Amber Campbell (Mjolnir) - Conway, SC 3/20
JT - 55.53/182-2 Kim Kreiner (Nike) - Sacramento, CA 3/21
Hep - 5549 Lauren Collins (Cal-Irvine) - Northridge, CA 3/20

For more information on USATF, visit www.usatf.org

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