INDIANAPOLIS - Dave Talcott (Owego, N.Y.) has been named USA Track & Field’s Athlete of the Week after meeting the qualifying standard for the men’s 50 km U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Race Walk at the Ohio Last Chance 50k in Yellow Springs, Ohio. 

Talcott finished under the standard of 4:45 with time to spare as he walked the 50 km (31.25 miles) distance in 4:42:21. Talcott finished second to Mike Mannozzi who already secured the standard.

Talcott qualified for his first Olympic Trials at the age of 51. Talcott’s wife Erin Taylor-Talcott made headlines earlier this year for meeting the standard for the men’s 50 km trials. Taylor-Talcott plans to walk in the men’s trials even though the event is not offered for women at the Olympic Games. When both Talcotts step to the line at the 50 km trials in Santee, Calif. in January, it will be the first time a husband and wife pair will compete in the trials.

“It is really great,” Talcott said of training with his wife. “We train really well together even if we are working out separately. We have a nice rivalry. If she goes out and has a great workout, then I’ll try to go out and do just a little better - but it is a friendly rivalry.”

Talcott has been race walking for more than 30 years and continues to see improvement in his performances. After not walking at the USA Outdoor Championships since 1983, Talcott qualified and walked this summer in the 20 km event. Talcott also donned the USA jersey for the first time this October as a member of the Team USA at the Pan American Games.

Now in its tenth 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 www.usatf.org. Selections are based on top performances and results from the previous week.

Winners: January 5, Bill Tribou; January 12, Tyler Sorensen; January 20, Josh Cox; January 26,Ben Shorey; February 2, Ashton Eaton; February 9, Ashton Eaton; February 16, Bernard Lagat; February 23, Ryan Crouser; March 2, Jillian Camarena-Williams; March 10, Bill Collins; March 16, Miles Batty; March 23, Shalane Flanagan; March 30, John Nunn; April 6, Aries Merritt; April 13, Gunnar Nixon; April 20, Desiree Davila; April 27, Nolan Shaheed; May 4, Emma Coburn; May 11, Willie Gault; May 18, English Gardner; May 25, Kibwé Johnson; June 1, Khadevis Robinson; June 8, Carmelita Jeter; June 15, Lukas Verzbicas; June 22, Aisling Cuffe; June 29, Trevor Barron; July 6, Aldrich Bailey; July 13, Jillian Camarena-Williams; July 20, Johnnye Valien; July 27, Bernard Lagat; August 3, Marcus Krah; August 9, Leo Manzano; August 17, Magdalena Lewy Boulet; August 24, Brigetta Barrett; September 7, LaShinda Demus; September 14, Kasie Enman; September 21, Galen Rupp; September 28, Max King; October 5, Kathryn Martin; October 13, William Boland; October 19, Janet Cherobon-Bawcom; October 26, Michael Wardian; November 2 Sara Hall; November 9, Meb Keflezighi; November 16, Shalane Flanagan; November 23, Ryan Haebe; November 30, Dave Talcott