Starting this week, we will be unveiling our picks for New Balance Athlete of the Week. Each week we will pick an outstanding performance from one boy and one girl.
Girls Athlete of the Week
We picked a tough week to start. There were quite a few performances that could have earned the title this week. Cross Country All-American Abby Hennessey returned this past week with a ridiculous triple that included two state #1 times (2:56.13, 5:00.26, and 10:35.29). Lauren Qaurm of Methuen through down an outstanding 7.00 in the 55M. Amelia Whorton of Lexington traveled to the Big Apple and was the first Bay State runner under five in the mile. However, in the end it came down to two state record holders battling it out.
Natick’s Emmanuella Edozien came into this season as the all-time record holder in the 55m Hurdles, with her PR of 7.96. We were confident it was not a matter of if, just when she would break it.
Conversely, Lexington’s Ainsley Cuthbertson came into the 25-26 Indoor season as one of the top throwers in the state. That turned out to be an understatement as she smashed the state record in the Weight Throw in her first attempt this season and hasn’t looked back. Like Edozien, the current record is also her PR of 56’3.75”. (She has since bettered that this week. Perhaps a preview of next week’s pick…)
Both athletes had outstanding performances at the Nor’Easter at the Track. Cuthbertson won both the Weight Throw and the Shot Put, with throws of 54’9.5” and 40’7”. Edozien took the girls 55m Hurdles in, you guessed, a new STATE RECORD of 7.94.
Choosing between these two performances was tough, as they both represent a culmination of work by both athletes this season. In the end, we decided to name Natick’s Emmanuella Edozien our inaugural Athlete of the Week for the 2025-2026 season! Congratulations Emmanuella, and all the athletes for their outstanding performances.
