INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana – Texas A&M freshman Donavan Brazier has been recognized as USATF Athlete of the Week following his record-breaking performance in winning the NCAA 800m title last weekend at Hayward Field in Eugene.
Brazier dominated the NCAA Outdoor final with an astonishing performance of 1:43.55 and bettered quite a few records along the way, including a 50-year-old standard set by Jim Ryun at 880 yards when he was a freshman at Kansas. Both Brazier (1997) and Ryun (1947) were born in the month of April and each set their mark on the same date of June 10.
Performances bettered by Texas A&M's Donavan Brazier:
Brazier became the first freshman winner since 1988 (Paul Ereng, Virginia) and is just the fifth freshman overall to win the NCAA 800m title. He also moves to No. 8 on the all-time U.S. list and No. 7 on the World Junior list, where he is the lone American among the top 10.
During the NCAA semifinal race in Eugene, Brazier broke the Aggie school record with a 1:45.07 clocking, which also served as the fastest qualifying time ever in a NCAA semifinal. The previous best NCAA qualifying time was 1:45.54 set in 2010 (Robby Andrews, Virginia).
Brazier's semifinal time bettered the Texas A&M record of 1:46.15 recently set by teammate Hector Hernandez as runner-up during the SEC Championships. Brazier finished third in that race with a 1:46.19.
Brazier now has recorded six of the top 12 performances on the all-time U.S. junior list. They include the record of 1:43.55, followed by 1:45.07 (No. 3), 1:45.93i (No. 7), 1:46.08i (No. 8), 1:46.19 (No. 9), and 1:46.53 (No. 12).
This is the second time the 19-year-old Brazier of Grand Rapids, Michigan, has received the USATF honor this season. He was also named Athlete of the Week when he broke the American indoor junior record with a 1:45.93 victory in January.
Now in its 15th year, USATF's Athlete of the Week program is designed to recognize outstanding performers at all levels of the sport.
Brazier dominated the NCAA Outdoor final with an astonishing performance of 1:43.55 and bettered quite a few records along the way, including a 50-year-old standard set by Jim Ryun at 880 yards when he was a freshman at Kansas. Both Brazier (1997) and Ryun (1947) were born in the month of April and each set their mark on the same date of June 10.
Performances bettered by Texas A&M's Donavan Brazier:
| Collegiate best | 1:44.3h | Jim Ryun (Kansas) [1:44.9y - 880] | 6/10/1966 |
| Collegiate record | 1:44.55 | Julius Achon (George Mason) | 5/04/1996 |
| American Collegiate record | 1:44.70 | Mark Everett (Florida) | 6/01/1990 |
| NCAA meet record | 1:44.70 | Mark Everett (Florida) | 6/01/1990 |
| American Junior record | 1:44.9y | Jim Ryun (Kansas) | 6/10/1966 |
| Hayward Field record [equals] | 1:43.5h | Rich Wohlhuter (UCTC) | 6/08/1974 |
| Texas A&M record | 1:45.07 | Donavan Brazier | 6/08/2016 |
| Extended season (past NCAA meet) | |||
| American Collegiate best | 1:43.74 | Earl Jones (Eastern Michigan) | 6/19/1984 |
Brazier became the first freshman winner since 1988 (Paul Ereng, Virginia) and is just the fifth freshman overall to win the NCAA 800m title. He also moves to No. 8 on the all-time U.S. list and No. 7 on the World Junior list, where he is the lone American among the top 10.
During the NCAA semifinal race in Eugene, Brazier broke the Aggie school record with a 1:45.07 clocking, which also served as the fastest qualifying time ever in a NCAA semifinal. The previous best NCAA qualifying time was 1:45.54 set in 2010 (Robby Andrews, Virginia).
Brazier's semifinal time bettered the Texas A&M record of 1:46.15 recently set by teammate Hector Hernandez as runner-up during the SEC Championships. Brazier finished third in that race with a 1:46.19.
Brazier now has recorded six of the top 12 performances on the all-time U.S. junior list. They include the record of 1:43.55, followed by 1:45.07 (No. 3), 1:45.93i (No. 7), 1:46.08i (No. 8), 1:46.19 (No. 9), and 1:46.53 (No. 12).
This is the second time the 19-year-old Brazier of Grand Rapids, Michigan, has received the USATF honor this season. He was also named Athlete of the Week when he broke the American indoor junior record with a 1:45.93 victory in January.
Now in its 15th year, USATF's Athlete of the Week program is designed to recognize outstanding performers at all levels of the sport.