USA Track & Field – News – Stroupe, Michta claim USA 30km race walk titles

INDIANAPOLIS – Patrick Stroupe (Armstrong, Mo.) strode to a decisive victory and Maria Michta (Nesconset, N.Y.) fended off a pair of pursuers to capture the women’s crown at the USA 30 km Race Walk Championships held Sunday, Oct. 28, at Rockland Lake State Park in Valley Cottage, N.Y.

Stroupe completed the 18.6-mile, multiple-loop course in 2:18:34 to win by nearly a full mile over runner-up Nick Christie (San Diego, Calif.) in 2:25:11. John Nunn (Chula Vista, Calif.), a 2012 Olympian at 50 km, finished third in 2:26:22. Christie was the third-place finisher at the U.S. Olympic Trials 20 km race walk in June.

Michta opened up a slight lead over Katie Burnett (Bellevue, Wash.) and Susan Randall (Beavercreek, Ohio) and maintained a 200 meter advantage to the finish to win in 2:40:44. Burnett wound up second in 2:41:46 and Randall took third in 2:42:48. Michta finished 29th in the London Olympics, and Randall placed seventh in the U.S. Olympic Trials 20 km.

Dan Serianni (Rochester, N.Y.), Ian Whatley (Greer, S.C.) and Chris Schmid (Lakewood, Ohio) combined to lead World Class Racewalking to the team championship with a combined time of 8:34:26.

Concurrent with the 30 km, a 50 km race was contested to achieve qualifying marks for the 2013 Pan Am Cup in Lima, Peru, and the 2013 World Championships in Moscow, Russia. Dan Serianni (Rochester, N.Y.) and Ray Sharp (Atlantic Mine, Mich.) of the Pegasus A.C. both qualified for the U.S. Pan Am Cup 50 km team. Serianni finished fifth in 4:38:26 and Sharp placed sixth in 4:44:14.

More information and full results can be found at www.usatf.org