Macchia's 5K win earns her USATF Athlete of the Week honors

INDIANAPOLIS — Winning her second straight USATF National Youth 5 km Championships, Zariel Macchia (Shirley, NY/USATF Long Island) earned recognition as the 35th USATF Athlete of the Week award winner for 2024.

Macchia, a senior at William Floyd High School in Mastic Beach, New York, won the girls' title by eight seconds with a 17:27 clocking as part of the New York City Marathon weekend slate of events, repeating her victory from last year and matching the time she ran to win in 2023.

A two-time World Cross Country Championships competitor for Team USATF and the USATF U20 5000 champion on the track in June, Macchia was on the U.S. squad at the World Athletics U20 Championships, and she also captured the U20 gold at the USATF Cross Country Championships in January.
 
Other top performances from last week:

• Frank Zoldak, 57, had the highest men's age-grading score at the USATF Masters 5K Cross Country Championships in Boulder, clocking 16:55 to score 91.48%.
• Kristine Clark, 61, was the top women's age-grading scorer at the USATF Masters 5K Cross Country Championships in Boulder, running 21:13 for an 88.3% score.
• Ahmed Muhumed won the men's USATF 5K Championships by one second at the Abbott Dash to the Finish Line race in New York City with a 13:38.
• Annie Rodenfels defended her women's title at the USATF 5K Championships in New York City, winning the Abbott Dash to the Finish Line by five seconds in 15:20.
• Conner Mantz was the top American man at the New York City Marathon, placing sixth in 2:09:00, 21 seconds ahead of training partner Clayton Young.
• Sara Vaughn was the top American woman at the New York City Marathon, placing sixth in 2:26:56, 23 seconds ahead of Jessica McClain.
• Tyler Mogavero, 16, was the boys' winner of the USATF National Youth 5km Championships title, running 16:11 to win by 29 seconds in New York City.

Now in its 23rd 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; April 3, Jordan Davis; April 10, Hillary Bor; April 17, Jacious Sears; April 24, Christian Miller; May 1, Payton Otterdahl; May 8, Gabby Thomas; May 15, Ja'Kobe Tharp; May 22, Rai Benjamin; May 29, Joe Kovacs; June 5, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone; June 12, McKenzie Long; July 10, Valarie Allman; July 17, Rai Benjamin; July 24, Quincy Wilson; September 4, Ja'Kobe Tharp; September 11, Grant Holloway; September 18, Nora Cary; September 25, Jessica McClain; October 2, Brittany Brown; October 9, Fiona Bayly; October 16, CJ Albertson; October 23, Dan King; October 30, Nick Christie; November 6, Zariel Macchia.

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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