INDIANAPOLIS – Nate McDowell of Corvallis, Oregon, has been named USA Track & Field’s Athlete of the Week after winning the 2002 USA 50 Mile Trail Championships in course record-setting time on July 27 in Crystal Mountain, Washington.

McDowell covered the White River 50 Mile Trail Run in 6 hours, 50 minutes and 39 seconds, which is an average pace of 8:13 per mile. A former track and cross country runner at the University of Michigan, he beat runner-up Hal Koerner of Parker, Colo., by over 10 minutes. In early June, McDowell finished second to Karl Meltzer at the Squaw Peak 50 Mile Trail Run.

Ann Heaslett of Madison, Wisc., won the women’s title, finishing in 8:13:17. Heaslett overtook Petra Pirc of Salt Lake City, Utah with less than two miles to go, finishing less than two minutes ahead of Pirc (8:15:11).

It was a rest week for most top U.S. athletes on the track and in the field, as Europe and Africa concentrated on the Commonwealth Games in Manchester, England on July 26-31. The European Championships currently are under way in Munich, Germany. Americans will return to action when the IAAF’s Grand Prix circuit resumes in Zurich, Switzerland on August 16. USATF’s weekly best marks list will return at that time.

For a comprehensive list of top U.S.marks in 2002, visit the "records and lists" section of the USATF Web site at www.usatf.org.

Now in its second year, USATF’s Athlete of the Week program is designed to recognize performers at all levels of the sport. USATF names a new honoree each week and features the athlete on the USATF Web site. Selections are based on top performances and results from the previous week.

2002 USATF Athlete of the Week winners: January 3, Jim Garcia; January 8, Mary Louise Michelsohn; January 15, Tamara Diles; January 22, Miguel Pate; January 29, Regina Jacobs; February 5, Jeff Hartwig; February 12, Meb Keflezighi; February 19, Curt Clausen; February 26, Jeff Hartwig; March 5, Nicole Teter; March 12, Jeff Hartwig; March 19, Aretha Hill; March 26, Deena Drossin; April 2, Kim Fitchen; April 9, Deena Drossin; April 16, Khalid Khannouchi; April 23, Kenta Bell; April 30, Suzy Powell; May 7, Deena Drossin; May 14, Savante Stringfellow; May 21, Adam Nelson; May 28, Kevin Toth; June 4, Lashinda Demus; June 11, Anna Norgren Mahon; June 18, Molly Huddle; June 25, Sanya Richards; July 2, Savante Stringfellow; July 9, Nicole Teter; July 16, Maurice Greene; July 23, Lashinda Demus; July 30, Kerron Clement; August 6, Nate McDowell.