Seaman, Michta win USA 30 km Race Walk titles
By Tom Surber, USATF
Posted Tuesday, 20 October, 2009
Two-time Olympian Tim Seaman and American Junior record holder Maria Michta were the respective men's and women's winners Sunday at the 2009 USA 30 km Race Walk Championships in Hauppauge, N.Y.
Competitors faced each other along with difficult conditions (rain/cold, temp. 43F-7C), and in the end guest competitor and two-time Olympian Luis Fernandez Lopez of Colombia was the men's overall winner in the new course record time of 2 hours 13 seconds.
Seaman, who fought the challenging weather and cramping in his hamstring, won his 41st career national title when he crossed the finish line in 2:38:16. Only National Track & Field Hall of Famers Ron Laird (65) and Henry Laskau (42) own more national race walk titles in U.S. history than Seaman. The next opportunity for Seaman to add to his national championship total will be at the 2010 Millrose Games in New York, where he's slated to compete in the USA One Mile Championship.
Seaman now looks forward to returning to his Chula Vista, Calif., home and his October 31 wedding to Canadian race walk champion Rachel Lavalle, who competed in the 20 km women's race at the 2009 IAAF World Athletics Championships in Berlin, Germany.
Guest Olympian Sandra Zapata of Colombia was the overall women's winner in 2 hours 35 minutes 38 seconds. Maria Michta won the U.S. 30 km title with her overall runner-up finish in 2:49.37, with Susan Randall finishing third in 2:53.16.
For more information on the 2009 USA 30 km Race Walk Championships, visit: www.usatf.org.
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