Dunn, Seaman, Cohen headline Team USA at World Race Walk Cup
By Tom Surber, USATF
Posted Tuesday, 6 May, 2008
Philip Dunn, Tim Seaman and Samantha Cohen will lead Team USA this weekend as the world's finest race walkers compete at the 23rd IAAF World Race Walk Cup in Cheboksary, Russia.
A total of 55 nations have entered more than 450 athletes to compete in five separate races (men's 50 km, men's & women's 20 km and junior men's and women's 10 km races). Each contest will be held around a 2 km loop course.
Team USA will be led in the 50 km men's race by two-time Olympian and 1999 Pan American Games bronze medalist Philip Dunn, who won the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials -50 km Race Walk in convincing fashion February 10 at Crandon Park in Miami, Fla.
In order to compete in the 50 km walk at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China, Dunn must first better the Olympic Games B qualifying standard of 4 hours 7 minutes this weekend in Russia.
Dunn faced the identical scenario after finishing third at the 2004 Olympic 50 km Trials in Chula Vista, Calif. Dunn punched his ticket for the Olympic Games in Athens when he bettered the Olympic A standard on March 23, 2004, with his time of 3:59:12 at a race in Tijuana, Mexico.
Joining Dunn on the 50 km roster is U.S. Olympic Trials - 50 km Race Walk runner-up Matt Boyles, who will be competing in only his third ever 50 km race this weekend. Also on the U.S. roster is the ageless Ray Sharp, who finished fourth at the 2007 U.S. 50 km Championship and ended last year ranked #5 in that event in the U.S. by Track & Field News.
Two-time Olympian and five-time U.S. 20 km champion Tim Seaman will lead the U.S. men's contingent in 20 km competition. He'll be joined by John Nunn, who finished third at the 2007 U.S. 20 km and 50 km championships, and placed seventh at the 2007 Pan Am Games at 20 km.
The Team USA women's 20 km squad will be led by Samantha Cohen, who placed third at last year's Nationals and ended the 2007 campaign ranked #2 in the U.S. by T&FN. She'll be joined by Jolene Moore, who was the runner-up at the 2007 U.S. Championships and Maria Michta, who placed fourth at last year's Nationals.
Heading up the Team USA Junior Men's squad are reigning 10 km champion Roberto Vergara and 2007 Nationals third-place finisher Matthew Forgues. Leading the Junior Women's roster is Jenna Monahan, who placed fourth at the 2007 U.S. Championships.
Maryanne Daniel (Clinton, Ct.) and Dave McGovern (Locust Valley, N.Y.) will serve as the Team USA coaches for this event. Steve Vaitones is the team manager, with Philip Vardiman the team doctor.
2008 IAAF Race Walk World Cup - Team USA Roster
Men 50 km
Matt Boyles - Cedarville, Ohio
Philip Dunn - San Diego, Calif.
Steve Quirke - Kenosha, Wisc.
Ray Sharp - Houghton, Mich.
Ben Shorey - Zion, Ill.
Men 20 km
John Nunn - San Diego, Calif.
Tim Seaman - Imperial Beach, Calif.
Patrick Stroupe - Armstrong, Mo.
Michael Tarantino - San Diego, Calif.
Chris Tegtmeier - Jansen, Neb.
Women 20 km
Susan Armenta - San Jose, Calif.
Stephanie Casey - Salem, Ore.
Samantha Cohen - Racine, Wisc.
Maria Michta - Nesconset, N.Y.
Jolene Moore - Northbrook, Ill.
Junior Men 10 km
Trevor Barron - Bethel Park, Pa.
Matthew Forgues - Boothbay, Maine
Roberto Vergara - Edinburg, Texas
Junior Women 10 km
Catherine Davis - Peekskill, N.Y.
Miranda Melville - Rush, N.Y.
Jenna Monahan - Holbrook, N.Y.
For more information on Team USA at the 2008 IAAF World Race Walk Cup in Russia, visit: www.usatf.org.
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