Mantz's marathon performance earns him USATF Athlete of the Week honors

INDIANAPOLIS — Moving to No. 4 on the all-time U.S. men's marathon performer list, Conner Mantz (Smithfield, Utah/USATF Utah) earned recognition as the 36th USATF Athlete of the Week award winner for 2023.

Mantz, who won a pair of NCAA cross country titles for BYU in 2021, chopped 29 seconds off his lifetime best to finish sixth at the Chicago Marathon in 2:07:47, equaling Dathan Ritzenhein for fourth on the all-time American performer list and ninth on the all-time U.S. performance list. His time also met the 2024 Olympic qualifying standard and put him atop the 2023 U.S. list. Mantz demonstrated his range with a 3:37.92 1500 PB in June and placed sixth in the 10,000 at the Toyota USATF Outdoor Championships in July.
 
Other top performances from last week:

• Euleen Josiah-Tanner, 49, was the overall women's winner at the USATF Masters 5K Cross Country Championships, clocking 19:59 to win by 31 seconds.
• Jenny Hitchings, 60, bettered Joan Benoit Samuelson's American 60-64 record* in the women's marathon by over 12 minutes at Chicago, running 2:49:43. She also bettered the World 60-64 mark by 2:30.
• Jeannie Rice, 75, bettered the American 75-79 women's marathon record* with a 3:34:32 at Chicago. The ratified AR is held by Ginette Benard at 4:08:31 and has stood for 15 years. Rice also bettered the existing world 75-79 women's mark by more than 19 minutes.
• Des Linden bettered the American women's 40-44 marathon record* by 12 seconds with a 2:27:35 at Chicago.
• Gene Dykes, 75, ran 3:17:01 at Chicago to better the American men's 75-79 marathon record* by more than a minute.

*Subject to USATF Records Committee verification
 
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; May 30, Ryan Crouser; June 6, KC Lightfoot; June 13, Grayson Murphy; June 20, Yared Nuguse; July 17, Gabby Thomas & Christian Miller; July 20, Ednah Kurgat; July 27, Nikki Hiltz; August 3, Quenton Lanese; August 10, Shawnti Jackson; August 17, Michelle Atherley; August 30, Ryan Crouser, Noah Lyles, Sha'Carri Richardson & Laulauga Tausaga-Collins; September 6, Yared Nuguse; September 13, Jenny Hitchings; September 20, Yared Nuguse; September 27, Weini Kelati; October 3, Hobbs Kessler; October 10, Conner Mantz.

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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Photo Credit: Kevin Morris