Contact: Jill M. Geer
Director of Communications
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, June 26, 2001
Jacobs named USATF Athlete of the Week
INDIANAPOLIS - For her historic double victory in the 1,500m and 800m at
the GMC Envoy USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships last weekend in Eugene,
Ore., Regina Jacobs has been named USATF Athlete of the Week.
A two-time World Championships silver medalist at 1,500m, Jacobs last
weekend became only the third woman in history to win both the 800 and 1,500
at the U.S. Championships. The only other women to do it were Marie Mulder in
1965, the first year that the 1,500 was contested for women, and Kim
Gallagher in 1984. Jacobs also took second in the 5,000m, the final event of
the GMC Envoy USA Outdoor Championships, winning Xerox Female Athlete of the
Meet honors for her three-event performance.
Jacobs' weekend began on Thursday with the 1,500m semifinals. On Friday
she ran the semifinal round of the 800, and followed up Saturday with the
first of her three finals, the 1,500m. On Saturday, Jacobs outkicked Suzy
Favor Hamilton to win her 10th U.S. title in the 1,500 with a time of 4:06.12.
Early Sunday afternoon, Jacobs again used her kick to defeat 2000 Olympic
Trials champion Hazel Clark in the 800m with a time of 2:00.43. It was
Jacobs' first-ever U.S. title at 800m. She then finished runner-up to Marla
Runyan in the 5,000m, running 15:10.78.
It was the third consecutive year Jacobs has won two events at the
national championships - in 1999 and 2000 she doubled in the 1,500m and
5,000m, setting an American record in 2000 at the Olympic Trials 5,000m
(14:45.35). Jacobs also owns the American record at 1,000m (2:31.80).
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, Philip 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.
For complete results of the GMC Envoy USA Outdoor Track & Field
Championships, visit the USATF Web site: http://www.usatf.org.
For and update on World Championships qualifiers, including 'A' and 'B'
standards status, visit the USATF home page, www.usatf.org, and the media
section of the Web site: www.usatf.org/media/
