Mensey's masters records earn her USATF Athlete of the Week honors

INDIANAPOLIS — Setting three American and world masters indoor records*, 75-year-old Myrle Mensey (St. Louis, MO/USATF Ozark) earned recognition as the 11th USATF Athlete of the Week award winner for 2024.

Competing in the women's 75-79 division at the USATF Masters Indoor Championships in Chicago, Mensey twice broke the world 75-79 record in the weight throw, hitting 16.31/53-6.25 on her first attempt and improving to 16.37/53-8.5 on her next throw. The second mark added more than two meters to the ratified world record of 14.34/47-0.75 and gave her a winning margin of almost 20 feet.

Mensey added an American record in the shot put, thrice bettering the ratified AR and ending up with a best of 10.07/33-0.5 to tack on more than five feet to that record. She also claimed an AR in the super weight throw, adding more than seven feet to the ratified record with an 11.03/36-2.25 on her final attempt after bettering the old AR in rounds one and two.
 
Other top performances from last week:

• Neringa Jakstiene set women's masters 60-64 world records in the pentathlon (4,787 points), 60 hurdles (9.66) and long jump (4.74) and set an American masters 60-64 record in the high jump (1.45) at the USATF Masters Indoor Championships in Chicago.
• Cynteria James of South Carolina won the women's 100 at the Weems Baskin Invitational in a world-leading 11.01, moving her to No. 7 on the all-time U.S. U20 list.
• Trey Knight of Cal Northridge moved to No. 3 on the all-time American collegiate men's hammer list with a 76.36/250-6 to win the USC Trojan Invitational.
• Marc Minichello of Georgia won the men's javelin at the Miami Hurricane Collegiate Invitational with a throw of 82.32/270-1, moving up to No. 5 on the American collegiate all-time list.
• Garth Robinson broke the men's 50-54 world record in the 200 by .31 seconds with a 22.68 and bettered the American 50-54 record in the 60 at 7.10 at the USATF Masters Indoor Championships in Chicago.

*All records subject to verification by the USATF Records Committee
 
Now in its 23^rd 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.

2024 Winners: January 17, Weini Kelati; January 24, Cooper Teare; January 31, Nico Young; February 7, Fiona O'Keeffe; February 14, Elle St. Pierre; February 21, Grant Holloway; February 28, Jalani Davis; March 6, Elle St. Pierre; March 13, Rachel Glenn; March 20, Grant Fisher; March 27, Myrle Mensey.

We welcome your nominations!

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

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