Hall's American record* earns her USATF Athlete of the Week honors

INDIANAPOLIS — Bettering the American indoor record in the women's pentathlon at the USATF Indoor Championships, Anna Hall (Gainesville, Florida/USATF Florida) earned recognition as the sixth USATF Athlete of the Week award winner for 2023.
 
Hall, a bronze medalist in the heptathlon at last summer's World Athletics Championships, put together the greatest five-eventer in American history, winning every individual event to score 5,004 points and add 199 to the existing American record. Hall's score was also only nine points off the world record and made her the No. 2 all-time world performer.
 
Opening the competition with a lifetime best 8.04 in the 60m hurdles, Hall followed with another lifetime best, this time a 1.91m/6-3.25 clearance in the high jump. She closed out her record-setting performance with a gutsy 2:05.70 in the 800m. Not satisfied with being just the pentathlon champion, Hall lined up in the 400m heats the next day and easily advanced to the final, where she won in a lifetime best 51.03 to complete an unusual double.
 
Other top performances from last week:

• DeAnna Price twice bettered the world best in the women's 20-pound weight throw at the USATF Indoor Championships, hitting 25.77m/84-6.75 in round three to add 17cm to the existing record, and then becoming the first woman to surpass 26m with a 26.02m/85-4.25 in the fifth round.
• Aleia Hobbs bettered the American indoor record in the women's 60m at the USATF Indoor Championships with a 6.94 that took down a record that had stood since 1993. Her time also makes her the second-fastest woman in world history for 60m.
• Ryan Crouser had the longest throw ever in the men's shot put, bettering his own world record with a 23.38m/76-8.5 in an exhibition competition at the Simplot Games.
• Ellie Shea led Team USATF's U20 women to their first team medal ever at the World Cross Country Championships in Australia, placing 10th in the 6km race. It was the highest individual placing by an American U20 woman since Melody Fairchild took bronze in 1991.
• Ben Bruce was the silver medalist in the men's masters 6km race in 20:30 at the World Cross Country Championships and added a silver in the mixed relay.
• April Lund was the women's masters 40-44 winner and overall bronze medalist in the masters competition at the World Cross Country Championships, clocking 23:53 for 6km. She also earned silver in the mixed relay.

*Subject to verification by the USATF Records Committee.
 
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.

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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