Andersen's Throws Festival hammer win earns her USATF Athlete of the Week honors

INDIANAPOLIS — Becoming only the third woman ever to break 80 meters in the hammer, Brooke Andersen (State College, Pennsylvania/USATF New York) earned recognition as the 19th USATF Athlete of the Week award winner for 2023, her second AOW award of the year.
 
Andersen, the 2022 world champion and the April 25 AOW honoree, won the USATF Throws Festival in Tucson, Arizona, with a world-leading 80.17m/263-0 to join world record holder Anita Wlodarczyk of Poland and American record holder DeAnna Price as the only women ever to surpass 80.00m/262-5 in the event.
 
Opening with a foul, Andersen regrouped and went out to 77.47m/254-2 in round two before hitting her winning throw in the next stanza. She ended her series with a 78.99m/259-2 effort that was the seventh-farthest throw ever by an American.
 
Other top performances from last week:

• Rudy Winkler had a world-leading 80.88m/265-4 to win the men's hammer at the USATF Throws Festival.
• Paul Chelimo won the Night of 10,000s men's title in London with a 27:12.73 PB, moving him to No. 8 on the all-time U.S. performer list.
• Jamal Britt became the 24th man in any conditions to break 13 seconds in the 110m hurdles, clocking 12.99w (+4.0) at the USATF Bermuda GP.
• Tara Davis-Woodhall won the women's long jump at the USATF Bermuda GP with a wind-aided 7.11m/23-4 leap, the farthest in the world in 2023 in any conditions.
• Fred Kerley won the men's 100m in 9.91 at the Seiko Golden GP in Yokohama, Japan, after running a U.S.-leading 9.88 in the heats.

Now in its 22nd 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.

2023 Winners: January 17, Emily Sisson; January 24, Ednah Kurgat; January 31, Woody Kincaid; February 7, Grant Holloway; February 14, Yared Nuguse; February 21, Anna Hall; February 28, Talitha Diggs; March 7, Alicia Monson; March 14, Jasmine Moore; March 21, Keyzelle Thomas; March 28, Camille Herron; April 4, Hillary Bor; April 11, Valarie Allman; April 18, Britton Wilson; April 25, Brooke Andersen; May 2, Gabby Thomas; May 9, Connor Burns; May 16, Britton Wilson; May 23, Brooke Andersen.

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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