NICK CHRISTIE and MIRANDA MELVILLE race walking competition champion | 2022-04-26 21:34:18 (Visits: 454 Times) |  | | MIRANDA MELVILLE ACHIEVES FASTEST AMERICAN TIME, NICK CHRISTIE WINS ANOTHER TITLE AT USATF 35KM RACE WALK CHAMPIONSHIPS
Published by DyeStat.com
Jan 17th, 10:34pm
Melville has big impact in her debut at distance, eclipsing 2017 mark achieved by Burnett; Christie follows pending American record from December race in Ireland by adding another national title ahead of team event in March in Oman?By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor.Miranda Melville produced the fastest performance in American history and Nick Christie followed his pending U.S. record achieved a month earlier in Ireland with another national title Sunday at the USATF 35-Kilometer Race Walk Championships in Santee, Calif.The event served as a selection meet for the World Athletics Championships in July in Oregon, along with the World Athletics Race Walk Team Championships on March 4-5 in Muscat,Oman.PHOTOS by Crash Kamon(@primetimeactionfoto).Melville, a Chula Vista resident, clocked 3 hours, 18 seconds in her debut at the distance to eclipse the 2017 mark of 3:00.43 set by Katie Burnett at the World Championships en route to her 50-kilometer American record of 4:21.51 in London.Christie, who attended Grossmont High and Cuyamaca College, prevailed in 2:48:48, following his 2:38:16 effort Dec. 19 at the Irish Life Health National 35-Kilometer Race Walk Championships in Dublin, which broke the 2001 American standard of 2:38:45 established by Curt Clausen.Christie, who competed in the 20-kilometer race walk at the Tokyo Olympics, also triumphed Nov. 14 in 2:52:49 to capture the 35-kilometer title in Santee, which has athletes complete 28 laps on a 1.25-kilometer looped course adjacent to the Trolley Square Mall.Daniel Nehnevaj placed second in the men’s competition in 2:59:21 and Bricyn Healey took third in 3:05:13.Stephanie Casey was the women’s runner-up in 3:01:55 and Maria Michta-Coffey placed third in 3:07:31.Robyn Stevens, a 14-time national champion who represented the U.S. in the 20-kilometer race walk at the Tokyo Olympics, dropped out just before the 2-hour mark while in fifth place after experiencing sciatic nerve pain.Christie and Melville each received $8,000 for the winner’s prize, with Casey and Nehnevaj both earning $6,000, and Healey and Michta-Coffey securing $4,000 apiece, as $50,000 was distributed among the competing athletes, the biggest payout for any event in the San Diego area, as the championships were held in Santee for the ninth straight year. |
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