Price’s hammer record earns her USATF Athlete of the Week honors

INDIANAPOLIS -- Reigning world champion DeAnna Price (Carbondale, Illinois) was selected as the 13th USATF Athlete of the Week award winner for 2021 after bettering her own American record (pending ratification) in the women’s hammer.

Throwing at the Tom Botts Invitational in Columbia, Missouri, Price lofted the four-kilogram ball out to 78.60m/257-10 on her fifth attempt to add 36 centimeters to the existing AR she set in winning the Toyota USATF Outdoor Championships title in Des Moines on July 21, 2019. It is the fourth improvement of the American record in Price’s career, and her latest effort moved her to No. 3 on the world all-time performer list behind only Anita Wlodarczyk of Poland and Germany’s Betty Heidler.

More top performances from the past week:

• Sha’Carri Richardson sprinted to a 10.72 to win the 100m at the Miramar Invite, making her the No. 6 female performer on the all-time world list, and No. 4 on the U.S. women’s performer list.
• Johnnie Blockburger of Arizona moved to No. 4 on the all-time U.S. U20 men’s 400m list with a huge 44.71 PR at the Jim Click Shootout in Tucson. His time makes him =9th on the world all-time U20 performer list.
• Shamier Little ran a world-leading and lifetime best 49.91 in the women’s 400m to win at the Miramar Invite.
• Daniel Nehnevaj was an upset men’s winner at the Pan American Race Walking Cup Trials in Philadelphia, covering 20km in 1:26:00 to win by more than two minutes.
• Maria Michta-Coffey was the women’s U.S. winner at the Pan American Race Walking Cup Trials, clocking 1:38:47.
• Sonja Friend-Uhl bettered the existing American masters women’s 50-54 outdoor 800m record by almost three seconds with a 2:19.02 at the Hurricane Alumni Invitational in Miami.

Now in its 20th 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 when there are high-level competitions and features the athlete on USATF.org. Selections are based on top performances and results from the previous week. 

2021 Winners: January 21, KC Lightfoot; January 28, Ryan Crouser; February 4, Bryce Hoppel; February 11, Athing Mu; February 18, Elle Purrier; February 25, Jaylen Slade; March 4, Grant Holloway; March 11, Emmanuel Bor; March 18, Tara Davis; March 25, Emily Sisson; April 1, Tara Davis; April 8, Kenny Selmon; April 15, DeAnna Price.

We welcome your nominations!

To nominate an athlete for USATF Athlete of the Week, please send a detailed email about his/her performance to communications@usatf.org.

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