University of Tennessee Athletics
Famiglietti Named USATF Athlete of the Week
September 06, 2001 | Men's Track
Sept. 6, 2001
Former Vol Anthony Famiglietti
(1999-2000) earned USA Track and Field's nod as athlete of the week for his
gold-medal performance in the steeplechase at the World University Games last
week. Famiglietti, who still trains in Knoxville, traveled to Beijing, China to
take first in the steeplechase in 8:21.97, flirting with his personal best of
8:21.00 clocked in July at the Stockholm Grand Prix meet in Sweden. The honor
caps a whirlwind season that saw Famiglietti take second in the USA Championships
and compete in the World Championships.
After earning All-America honors in the steeplechase both seasons at Tennessee,
Famiglietti ignited his professional career by lopping 17 seconds off his personal-best
time at the 2000 U.S. Olympic Trials.
Famiglietti is the second athlete with Tennessee ties to earn USATF Athlete of
the Week honors during the outdoor season. Freshman sprint sensation Justin Gatlin
also won the June 5 designation after winning the 100M and 200M dash en route
to leading Tennessee to the 2001 NCAA Outdoor title at Hayward Field in Eugene,
Ore.
Pappas Second After First
Day of Decathlon at Goodwill Games
Former Vol Tom Pappas (1997, 99) stood second with 4,351 points after the first
five events of the decathlon Thursday at the Goodwill Games in Brisbane, Australia.
Pappas, just 30 points behind world record holder Tomas Dvorak of the Czech
Republic, pieced together a strong opening day in his first complete decathlon
attempt since shoulder surgery.
Pappas' most solid event of the first five proved to be the high jump.
Pappas led the eight decathlete field with a 7-1 3/4 clearance, nearly six inches
higher than any other competitor. Pappas added third-place finishes in the 100M
dash (10.84) and shot put (50-2 1/2). Pappas took fourth in the long jump with
a mark of 23-9. Pappas' low point of the day came on the last event, a
seventh-place, 50.27 effort in the 400M dash.
Pappas will complete the final five events of the decathlon Friday. Additionally,
Tim Mack will take off in the pole vault on Friday.
