Team USA splits with Canada in Race Walk match
By Tom Surber, USATF
Posted Wednesday, 15 August, 2007
Team USA and Canada split a pair of competitions Sunday at the 2007 Junior Race Walk Match in Hauppauge, Long Island, New York. The 19th annual competition was held in conjunction with the NACAC Cup.
Three athletes scored per country, with places scoring 7-5-4-3-2-1.
Led by Wisconsin Parkside freshman Le'erin Voss of Nashotah, Wisc., Team USA's women's squad continued a winning streak that began prior to 2000. Voss, who placed fourth in this event in 2006, led a U.S. sweep of the first four places as Team USA cruised to a 16-6 victory. The top U.S. finishers were Voss (1st-26 minutes 9 seconds), Diana Rado (2nd-26:27), Jenna Monahan (3rd-26:41) and Christina Peters (4th-26:46).
The Canadian men's team defeated the Americans for the third time in five years by the identical 16-6 score. The Canadians grabbed the first three individual places led by Inaki Gomez, who captured individual honors with his time of 46:54.
Top-finishing Americans were Robert Vergara (4th-50:08), Ricardo Vergara (6th-52:28), Matthew Forgues (8th-56:01) and Evan Crowdus (9th-61:18).
The combined team point total produced a 22-22 tie for the first time in the history of the event. The match was held as part of the second biennial NACAC Race Walk Cup. Team USA was victorious in totaling the several team age group scoring divisions in that competition to repeat as winners of the Amadeo Francis Championship trophy (USA 48, Canada 31, Puerto Rico 25).
Contact:
Tom Surber
Media Information Manager
USA Track & Field
317-713-4690
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