INDIANAPOLIS - John Nunn has been named USA Track & Field’s Athlete of the week after winning the U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Men’s 50 km Race Walk Sunday in Santee, Calif.

Nunn (San Diego, Calif.) walked to the win in a course record time of 4:04:38, well below the Olympic “B” standard of 4:09. Nunn walked in the lead pack throughout the race, and surged ahead at the 35 kilometer mark. However, Time Seaman was able to reel Nunn back in at the 45 km mark, and the two engaged in a thrilling battle for the lead over the last 5 km. Nunn was able to pull away over the last lap to extend his lead over Seaman by one minute and twelve seconds. Nunn improved his PR by nearly ten minutes.

Nunn previously qualified for the Olympic Games in the 20 km race walk in 2004.

“I’m a 20k race walker, so you usually have to wait until the last minute in June or July to see if you make the team,” Nunn said. “Now the stress is off and I can train for the games.”

“The event of race walking is starting to get recognized a little bit more,” Nunn said.”It was really great to see Meb [Keflezighi] and Jamie [Nieto] show up and support us. It was fun because you feel a little bit a more a part of the family of track and field.”

Now it its eleventh 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 www.usatf.org. Selections are based on top performances and results from the previous week.

2012 Winners: January 5, Landon Peacock; January 11, Kirubel Erassa; January 18, Shalane Flanagan; January 26, John Nunn