Track Beauty of the Week: Molly Beckwith

Molly Beckwith is this week's Track Beauty!

The United States is not just the world's last remaining superpower, it is also the world's foremost athletics nation. A strong testament to this lofty standing is the American resurgence in middle- and long-distance running - events that have been dominated for so long by East and Northern Africans and the occasional Russian talent. 

Photo from Molly Beckwith's Website

The United States is bristling with middle distance talent. Case in point is Molly Beckwith.

The 25-year old Beckwith is an American middle distance runner. She dabbled in both football (soccer) and athletics in her high school days, before focusing on track career in college.[1] Beckwith attended Indiana University and competed in the tough U.S. NCAA circuit from 2005 to 2009.[2]

Molly has a personal best of 1:59.12 in the 800m, which she set in Italy back in 2011.[3] She was perched in the 23rd place at the 2012 outdoor 800m rankings, thanks to a classy sub-2:00 clocking she set in New York City last June 2012. [4]

References:

1. "Molly Beckwith." http://www.iuhoosiers.com/sports/c-track/mtt/beckwith_molly00.html. Retrieved 2-4-2013.
2. Ibid.
3. "Molly Beckwith." http://www.iaaf.org/athletes/united-states/molly-beckwith. Retrieved 2-4-2013.
4. Ibid.

Cheryl Miller (USA, Basketball)

I must admit that, save for the basketball movie "Annie O.", I hardly know anything about women's basketball. I grew up devouring Philippines' number one sporting passion, but I hardly paid attention to the women's game. While watching a documentary about Reggie Miller, I came across the achievements of his famous sister, Cheryl.

 Photo from Slam Online

Cheryl was a game changer for women's basketball. In high school, Miller posted averages of 32.8 points and 15.0 rebounds. She was the female embodiment of a Wilt Chamberlain, as she scored a staggering 105 points as a high school senior. The 6'2 tall Cheryl attended the University of Southern California, leading her school to two NCAA championships, on top of her numerous individual accolades.

After college, she was even drafted into a men's professional basketball team. Injury, however, cut short her competitive days. Miller had won gold medals with the United States Women's national basketball team, helping her country to first place finishes at the 1986 Goodwill Games and the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics.

Source:
Wikipedia

Alex Morgan (USA, Football)

Alex Morgan was the youngest member of the 2011 U.S. Women's World Cup team, which finished runners-up behind Japan. Morgan is a striker and plays her club football for the Seattle Sounders Women. Morgan earned her college degree at the University of Southern California, leading the Golden Bears in goals scored in her freshman and sophomore years.

Photo from Fifa

She made her international debut for the United States for the U20 team in 2008. She had a total of 10 appearances for the youth team, scoring five goals in international competition. Barely out of her teens, Morgan was called up for the senior team in 2010. To date, she has 38 apps and 22 goals in senior competition.

Morgan found the back of the net twice during last year's World Cup in Germany, scoring in the semis against France and in the finals against Japan.