Seaman headlines USA 50 km Race Walk Championships

[TheEd]

INDIANAPOLIS – Two-time Olympian Tim Seaman will lead the field Sunday, January 23, at the 2011 USA 50 km Race Walk Championships in Tustin, California.

The top U.S. men and women will compete for the national Open and Masters titles, while the top five male walkers qualifying to represent the U.S. at the 2011 Pan American Race Walk Cup in Sabaneta, Columbia. In addition to the 50 km (31 mile) distance, there will be an open 10 km and Association Championship 20 km race held in conjunction with the championship race.

Seaman, who is a six-time U.S. 20 km champion, will be gunning for his first career national crown at 50 km. Last year in New York, Seaman won the Susan Rudin men’s 1 mile race walk title for his 42nd career national race walk crown, equaling the 42 titles won by National Track & Field Hall of Famer Henry Laskau. Only fellow Hall of Famer Ron Laird owns more national race walk titles with 65.

The U.S. outdoor record holder in every distance from 3,000m to 20 km, and U.S. 5,000m indoor record holder, Seaman has won 12 of the last 13 USA Indoor men’s 5,000m walk championships. He made history with his victory in that event at the 2009 USA Indoor Championships in Boston, which gave him the all-time lead in national titles in that event with 11.

As accomplished and talented as Seaman is, he’ll confront a difficult challenge in facing three of American’s finest race walkers in Benjamin Shorey, Patrick Stroupe and Jonathan Matthews.

Considered a favorite to win the race, Shorey is a two-time USA Junior 10 km walk champion, who finished third at the 2008 Olympic Trials – 50 km Race Walk. Stroupe is much better known for his prowess at 20 km, having finished third in that event at the 2008 Olympic Trials and winning the USA 20 km World Cup Trials in 2008 and 2010. Also keep an eye out for Jonathan Matthews, who finished second at last year’s USA 50 km Championships and placed 47th at the 2010 IAAF Race Walking World Cup in Mexico.

Race Walkers participate in USA Track & Field’s Win With Integrity program

USA Olympians and National Team members will participate in the USATF Win With Integrity Program in the local Tustin Middle Schools in the days prior to the 2011 USA 50 km National Race Walk Championship. The Win With Integrity Program brings elite national class athletes to elementary and middle schools to help kids make healthy life choices and to live a drug free life with integrity.

Athletes participating in the program share their personal stories and how they achieved success through hard work and perseverance. Afterwards, there is a question and answer period, followed by an autograph and photo-opportunity session.

Athletes participating USATF’s Win With Integrity program in Tustin include:

Solomiya Login – 2010 National Champion and National Team member, Olympic Trials finalist

Jose Moncada – 2010 National Champion and National Team member

Constantine Yap – 2010 National Youth Champion

Ryan Thong – 2010 National Youth Champion

Ray Sharp – 2010 National Champion and National Team member


Erin Gray – 2010 National Team Member