Abby Steiner Named USTFCCCA Athlete of the Week
LEXINGTON, Ky. — Kentucky track & field star sprinter Abby Steiner has been named National Women’s Athlete of the Week by the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association after breaking the American indoor record in the 200-meter dash at the Southeastern Conference Championships.
This is Steiner’s third time earning this award in the 2022 indoor season and the fifth time in her career.
Steiner wowed the world on February 26 when she ran the fastest indoor 200m in American history and second fastest in world history at 22.09 seconds to earn her the SEC gold. This was her third year in a row winning the 200m SEC gold medal and third time breaking the collegiate record.
As a result, she broke her own collegiate record, SEC record, school record, meet record and facility record.
The previous fastest indoor 200m in American history was Gwen Torrence’s 22.33 at the USA Championship in 1996.
The reigning national champion is now .22 away from Jamaican Merlene Ottey’s 21.87 world record.
In addition to her 200m gold, Steiner also won bronze in the 60m with a time of 7.19 and was a member of the bronze medal-winning 4x400m relay (3:25.89) that ran under the previous collegiate record.
The last time Steiner was named USTFCCCA Athlete of the Week was when she broke the collegiate record she previously shared with Gabby Thomas when she ran 22.37 at the Tiger Paw Invitational in Clemson in February.
Also at Clemson, Steiner tied the 60m school record Dezerea Bryant set in 2014, with the top time of the 60m semifinals (7.12). It was also the fastest women’s 60m time of the day, including prelims, semifinals and finals.
The senior from Ohio has also won SEC Female Runner of the Week twice this season and was recently named the SEC Indoor Track & Field Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
Steiner remains on The Bowerman Watch List for the second year in a row, awarded by the USTFCCCA.
Steiner will look to defend her 2021 national title in the 200m from Friday, March 11 to Saturday, March 12 in Birmingham, Alabama at the 2022 NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships.
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