St. Pierre's golden AR earns her USATF Athlete of the Week honors

INDIANAPOLIS — Bettering the American record* to win the women's 3000 at the World Indoor Championships, Elle St. Pierre (Enosburg, Vermont/USATF New England) earned recognition as the 8th USATF Athlete of the Week award winner for 2024, her second AOW award of the year.

St. Pierre, who on March 4, 2023, gave birth to her son, Ivan, shocked the world in Glasgow with a last-lap sprint past world 5000 champion and record holder Gudaf Tsegay of Ethiopia to smash the existing AR in the 3000 with an 8:20.87 that chopped more than four seconds off the previous AR. She became the first American woman to take gold in the event at the World Indoors, and she set a Championships record.

Her time also set an absolute American record, the fastest time ever run by an American woman indoors or outdoors and made her the No. 3 all-time world indoor performer. St. Pierre was the silver medalist in the 3000 at the 2022 World Indoor Championships in Belgrade, and earlier this year she bettered her own AR in the mile with a 4:16.41 to win the Millrose Games. On Feb. 4 at the New Balance GP, she improved her 3000 PB to 8:25.25, just missing Alicia Monson's then-AR of 8:25.05.
 
Other top performances from last week:

• Teshome Mekonen won the men's title at the USATF 15K Championships in Jacksonville by four seconds in 42:50.
• Tara Davis-Woodhall won the women's long jump at the World Indoor Championships with a leap of 7.07/23-2.5, the fifth best indoor jump in U.S. history.
• Bryce Hoppel won the men's 800 at the World Indoor Championships in a world-leading 1:44.92, the fifth fastest indoor time ever by an American.
• Ryan Crouser won the men's shot put at the World Indoor Championships with a throw of 22.77/74-8.5, setting a meet record with the third-best performance ever indoors.
• Rachel Smith won the women's title at the USATF 15K Championships in Jacksonville by four seconds in 48:26.
• Grant Holloway won the men's 60 hurdles at the World Indoor Championships in 7.29, equaling the second-fastest time ever. He continued a 10-year winning streak in the event with his second straight WIC title.
• Christian Coleman won the men's 60 at the World Indoor Championships in 6.41, the fastest time in the world this year.

*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.

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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