Thompson's NACAC win earns him USATF Athlete of the Week honors

INDIANAPOLIS -- Breaking his own NACAC Championships meet record in the men's javelin, Curtis Thompson (Florence, NJ/USATF New York) earned recognition as the 30th USATF Athlete of the Week award winner for 2025.

A five-time national champion and two-time Olympian, Thompson launched a throw of 87.24/286-2 in round two to win the NACAC Athletics Championships in Freeport, Bahamas, smashing the meet record of 84.23/276-4 that he set in winning the title in 2022. 

Thompson already had the farthest throw by an American this year, an 87.76/287-11 to win the Texas Relays in March that made him the No. 3 all-time U.S. performer. Only he, Tom Petranoff, and American record holder Breaux Greer have ever bettered his NACAC winning toss on the U.S. all-time list. Thompson also had a third-round throw of 86.17/282-8, a distance that only four Americans have ever bettered.

Other top performances from last week:

• Dan Michalski won the men's 3000 steeplechase at the NACAC Championships in a meet record 8:14.07, lowering his lifetime best by more than four seconds and achieving the Tokyo qualifying standard.
• Melissa Jefferson-Wooden won the women's 100 at the Silesia Diamond League meet in 10.66, the eighth fastest time ever by an American.
• Masai Russell won the women's 100 hurdles at the Silesia Diamond League meet in 12.19, equaling the third fastest time ever.

Now in its 24th 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. 

2025 Winners: January 15, Zariel Macchia; January 22, Conner Mantz; January 29, Katelyn Tuohy; February 5, Ethan Strand; February 12, Yared Nuguse; February 19, Grant Fisher; February 26, Josh Hoey; March 5, Heather MacLean; March 12, Cole Boone; March 19, Isabella Whittaker; March 26, Claire Bryant; April 2, Curtis Thompson; April 9, Taylor Roe; April 16, Valarie Allman; April 23, Jane Hedengren; April 30, Kaitlin Bounds; May 6, Masai Russell; May 13, Lynna Irby-Jackson; May 20, Jaydin Blackwell; May 27, Jonah Koech; June 3, Anna Hall; June 10, Jane Hedengren; June 17, Nico Young; June 24, Cooper Lutkenhaus; July 1, Chase Jackson; July 8, Rudy Winkler; July 15, Quincy Wilson; July 22, Sinclaire Johnson; August 5, Cooper Lutkenhaus; August 19, Curtis Thompson.

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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