Press Release - USATF Athlete of the Week - 11/3/09

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

               Keflezighi Named Athlete of the Week
 
INDIANAPOLIS - 2004 Olympic marathon silver medalist Meb Keflezighi has 
been named USA Track & Field's Athlete of the Week after winning the ING 
New York City Marathon on Sunday.

Keflezighi ran a brilliant strategic race, pulling away from four-time 
Boston Marathon Champion Robert Cheruiyot of Kenya in the final two miles 
to win in a personal-best time of 2:09:15. The win gave Keflezighi the USA 
marathon championship and his fourth national title of 2009, and he became 
the first American man to win in New York since Alberto Salazar's 1982 
victory. 

Keflezighi earned a total prize-money payday of $170,000, including 
$130,000 for the overall win and an additional $40,000 for the U.S. title. 
He also finished atop the USA Running Series rankings for 2009, earning an 
additional $6,000. He was joined by five additional American men in the top 
10 in a banner day for US. men's distance running.

 
Keflezighi appeared last evening on "Late Night with David Letterman" to 
give the "Top Ten List."  You can watch the video here: 
http://www.cbs.com/late_night/late_show/video/?pid=fOmiw65vINrNuovCfur7hZHT
WJY3ifiY&play=true&vs=Default 
 
Also in New York on Sunday, Joan Benoit Samuelson became the fastest female 
marathoner over age 50, finishing in 2:49:09. 

The 52-year-old's performance came 25 years after she became the first 
women's Olympic marathon gold medalist at the 1984 Games in Los Angeles.

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.  

                               ###