Contact: Tom Surber Media Information Manager USA Track & Field (317) 261-0500 x317 [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.usatf.org FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Tuesday, July 3, 2001 Banks named Athlete of the Week INDIANAPOLIS - Former world record holder and three-time Olympic team member Willie Banks has been named USA Track & Field's Athlete of the Week after setting a world age-group record in the triple jump on Saturday. In his first competition since retiring from the sport in 1992, Banks set the new 45-49 age-group world record of 14.55 meters, 47 feet, 8.75 inches at the San Diego Association USATF Open and Masters Championships. His performance bettered the standard of 14.24/46-8.25 set by Dave Quick three weeks ago in Long Beach Calif. Banks set the world record in the triple jump on June 16, 1985 in Indianapolis with a hop, skip and jump of 17.97/58-11.5. The 1985 USOC and Track & Field News Athlete of the Year, Banks was inducted into the National Track & Field Hall of Fame in 1999. Elizabeth Jackson also turned in an outstanding performance last week by setting a new American record in the women's 3,000-meter steeplechase. Jackson set the new standard on Sunday in winning her specialty in 9 minutes, 48.72 seconds at the Norwich Union Challenge in Glasgow, Scotland. Jackson's effort bettered Lisa Nye's mark of 9:49.41 set in winning the 2001 USA national title on June 23 in Eugene, Oregon. This is the third time this year that Jackson has set the American women's steeplechase record. Team USA won the Norwich Union Challenge for the third year in a row over Great Britain and Russia by amassing 135 points. Great Britain finished a close second with 131 points, with Russia, a first time entrant in the annual competition, tallying 111 points. Other American individual winners in Glasgow included Jon Drummond in the 100 meters (10.10 seconds), Kevin Little, 200m (20.31), Seneca Lassiter, 1,500m, (3:50.78), Allen Johnson, 110mH (13.31), Angelo Taylor, 400mH (49.01), Charles Austin, high jump, (2.25 meters, 7-4.50), John Godina, discus (65.54/215-0), Breaux Greer, javelin, (85.74/281-3) and Chryste Gaines, 100m (11.19). A number of performances last week by U.S. athletes qualify as national leaders for the 2001 season including Tim Broe's 8:14.62 in the 3,000m steeplechase at the Rome Grand Prix. Broe's performance makes him the fifth-fastest American steeplechase performer in history. Other national leading marks were turned in by Marion Jones, 100 meters (10.96), Suzy Favor Hamilton, 1,500 meters (4:03.10), Tonja Buford-Bailey, 400m hurdles (54.75) and Breaux Greer, javelin (85.74/281-3). 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 Tuesday and features the athlete on the USATF Web site. Selections are based on top performances and results from the previous week. 2001 USATF Athlete of the Week Winners: January 22, Alan Webb; January 29, Terrence Trammell; February 5, Stacy Dragila; February 12, Seneca Lassiter; February 20, Stacy Dragila; February 27, Andrew Pierce; March 6, Maurice Greene; March 14, Dawn Burrell: March 20, Ja'Warren Hooker; March 27, Dathan Ritzenhein; April 3, Phillip Dunn; April 10, Relay Team of Maurice Greene, Jon Drummond, Bernard Williams and Curtis Johnson; April 17, Rod DeHaven; April 24, Elizabeth Jackson; May 1, Stacy Dragila; May 8, Meb Keflezighi; May 15, Tyree Washington; May 22, Charles Clinger; May 29, Alan Webb; June 5, Justin Gatlin; June 12, Stacy Dragila; June 19, Amy Linnen; June 26, Regina Jacobs; July 3, Willie Banks. TOP OUTDOOR PERFORMANCES, WEEK OF JUNE 30 MEN'S 100 METERS 10.01 Maurice Greene at Rome Grand Prix MEN'S 200 METERS 20.37 Ramon Clay at Rethymno, Greece MEN'S 400 METERS 45.76 Milton Campbell at Rethymno, Greece MEN'S 3,000-METERS STEEPLECHASE 8:14.62 Tim Broe at Rome Grand Prix (national leader) MEN'S 110-METERS HURDLES 13.35 Larry Wade at Zagreb, Croatia MEN'S 400-METERS HURDLES 48.51 James Carter at Rome Grand Prix MEN'S HIGH JUMP 7-4.5 (2.25m) Nathan Leeper at Glasgow, Scotland Charles Austin at Glasgow, Scotland MEN'S TRIPLE JUMP 55-9.75 (17.01m) LaMark Carter at Glasgow, Scotland MEN'S SHOT PUT 70-1 (21.36m) John Godina at Lucerne, Switzerland MEN'S DISCUS THROW 215-0 (65.54m) John Godina at Glasgow, Scotland MEN'S JAVELIN THROW 281-3 (85.74m) Breaux Greer at Glasgow, Scotland (national leader) WOMEN'S 100 METERS 10.96 Marion Jones at Rome Grand Prix (national leader) WOMEN'S 200 METERS 22.68 LaTasha Jenkins at Zagreb, Croatia WOMEN'S 400 METERS 51.30 Monique Hennagan at Glasgow, Scotland WOMEN'S 1,500 METERS 4:03.10 Suzy Favor Hamilton at Rome Grand Prix (national leader) WOMEN'S 3,000-METERS STEEPLECHASE 9:48.72 Elizabeth Jackson at Glasgow, Scotland (American record) WOMEN'S 100-METERS HURDLES 12.72 Jenny Adams at Zagreb, Croatia WOMEN'S 400-METERS HURDLES 54.75 Tonja Buford-Bailey at Rome Grand Prix (national leader) WOMEN'S HIGH JUMP 6-0.75 (1.85m) Amy Acuff at Rome Grand Prix WOMEN'S POLE VAULT 15-5.75 (4.72m) Stacy Dragila at Rome Grand Prix # # #