Crouser named Athlete of the Week

INDIANAPOLIS - Ryan Crouser of Damascus, Ore., has been named USA Track & Field's Athlete of the Week after winning two medals and setting a meet record at the recently completed IAAF World Youth Track & Field Championships in Bressanone, Italy.Crouser, who started off the boys shot put final with a foul on Saturday, launched a competition-leading 20.52 meters/67 feet 4 inches on his second throw, and continued to extend his lead on throws three (20.55m/67-5.25), four (21.05m/69-0.75) and five. It was on his fifth throw of the competition, with a monster heave of 21.56m/70-9, that Crouser broke the World Youth Championships record and secured the gold medal.

Crouser also brought home Team USA's first medal of the competition in winning the silver in the boys discus on Wednesday night. Crouser took the lead with his first throw in the final of 61.58 meters/202 feet. In the fifth round he was overtaken by Hamid Manssour (SYR) who eventually won the competition with a toss of 64.20m/210-7. Crouser was the runner-up with his fifth throw of 61.64m/202-2.

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; April 1, German Fernandez; April 7, Cyrus Hostetler; April 14, Curtis Beach; April 21, Kara Goucher; April 28, Mason Finley; May 5, Chris Derrick; May 12, Natalie Willer; May 19, Will Claye; May 27, Nadine O'Connor; June 2, Tyson Gay; June 9, Dwight Phillips; June 17, Galen Rupp; June 24, Kami Semick; June 30, Dawn Harper; July 8, Raevyn Rogers; July 14, Ryan Crouser.