Photo above: Alan Webb crosses the finish line in 3:50.85 followed by New Zealander Nick Willis, 3:53:51. Photo by Victah Sailer www.photorun.net

See complete results of the Nike Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, OR held on Saturday, June 19, 2004

Another Jim Ryun Record is Surpassed
Alan Webb has been named USA Track & Field's Athlete of the Week after running the fastest time ever in the men's mile by an American on U.S. soil Saturday at the Nike Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, Oregon.

Webb's winning time of 3 minutes, 50.85 seconds again took Jim Ryun off the record books and is the fastest time in the world this year. Ryun had held the U.S. all-comers record by an American for 37 years with his time of 3:51.1, on June 23, 1967 in Bakersfield, Calif.

In 2001, as a senior in high school, Webb made history at Prefontaine when he ran 3:53.43 to break Jim Ryun's 36-year-old U.S. high school record. Earlier this year, Webb ran a world- leading 3:32.73 in the 1,500m June 8, in Ostrava, Czech Republic.

World-leading performers from last week include 2004 world indoor 60m silver medalist, Shawn Crawford, who won in 9.88 seconds to become the first person ever to break 10 seconds in the 100 at Prefontaine. Crawford broke Maurice Greene's track record of 9.90, set at the U.S. championships in 2001.



Now in its fourth 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 and features the athlete on the USATF website. Selections are based on top performances and results from the previous week.

2004 USATF Athlete of the Week Winners: January 13, Dan Taylor; January 20, Jen Toomey; January 27, Erin Gilreath; February 3, Jearl Miles-Clark; February 10, Alan Culpepper; February 17, Curt Clausen; February 24, Jen Toomey; March 2, Gail Devers; March 9, Allen Johnson; March 16, Sanya Richards; March 23, Phillip Dunn; March 30, Max Springer; April 6, Colleen De Reuck; April 13, Erin Gilreath; April 20, Maurice Greene; May 4, Tonette Dyer; May 11, Toby Stevenson; May 18, Sheena Johnson; May 25, Tim Seaman; June 1, Maurice Greene; June 8, Christian Cantwell; June 15, Stacy Dragila; June 22, Alan Webb.

Results for the Bowerman Mile at the Nike Prefontaine Classic

  Athlete       Affiliation      Time   1500m Time  
1  Alan Webb        USA         3:50.85  3:34.42  
2  Nick Willis      New Zealand 3:53.51  3:38.20  
3  Elkanah Angwenyi Kenya       3:54.52  3:38.66  
4  Kevin Sullivan   Canada      3:58.35  3:43.02  
5  Paul McMullen    USA         3:58.60  3:42.83  
6  Julius Achon     USA         3:58.66  3:43.56  
7  Steve Slattery   USA         3:59.78  3:42.88  
8  Aaron Lanzel     USA         3:59.88  3:43.93  
9  Jonathan Riley   USA         4:00.55  3:43.60  
10  Ray Hughes      USA         4:00.87  3:43.44  
11  Nick Symmonds   USA         4:09.83  3:52.36  
12  Joel Atwater    USA         4:13.72  3:54.49 

Photo: Alan Webb, running behind a pace setter, passed the 800m mark at 1:51 on his way to a world-leading time of 3:50.85 in the mile for 2004. Photo by Victah Sailer, www.photorun.net