Media Contact: Al Heppner North American Racewalking Institute Phone: 619-410-1181 September 1, 2002 For immediate release
Seaman extends reign; Armenta sets US best Ocean Township, NJ--Short distance specialist Tim Seaman went long this morning to win the National 40 km (24.8 miles) Racewalk Championship and set the meet record in a time of 3 hours, 6 minutes, and 15 seconds. Susan Armenta set an American Best in capturing the women's title in 3:32:08, despite heavy rain and gusting winds. The Army's Al Heppner led the rain-soaked pack through 10 km in 47:29, with Seaman, Curt Clausen, and defending champion Philip Dunn walking together, nine seconds back. The trio passed Heppner just before the 13 km mark. The top three walkers, all from the ARCO Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, California, passed through 20 km in 1:35:01. As the weather got worse, Seaman and Dunn got faster and Clausen began to fall off the pace. Dunn briefly led at 24 km, after Seaman stopped to go the bathroom. However, Seaman roared back to catch Dunn by 27 km and pulled away one kilometer later. "Going into the race, I wasn't concerned with my place. I just wanted to negative split (walk the second half faster)," said Seaman of New York Athletic Club. Seaman speeded through 30 km in 2:20:10, walking 25 to 30 km in 23:09. Dunn was 40 seconds back. "I tried to go with Tim. My heart rate was still really low, but I tightened up," said Dunn of New Balance. Walking his fastest 5 km from 30-35 km (22:06), Seaman continued to widen his margin over Dunn, which was at 2:06 by 35 km. "When I made my move, I did my best to maintain it," said the 30-year-old Seaman. Seaman held on over the final 5 km to set a 40 km personal best and better the meet record of 3:13:57 by four-time Olympian Carl Schueler in 1984. Although denied a second consecutive 40 km title, Dunn was also under the old meet record (3:08:34) as the runner-up. This marked the 18 straight race that the previous year's champion failed to defend. Clausen, the third place finisher was also under the old mark (3:12:23). "My knee was a little sore, but I finished 35 km last week and used that for inspiration," said Seaman. The win was a big step forward for Seaman. He has dominated the shorter distances, winning five straight indoor 5 km titles. Even in the 20 km, Seaman has won three out of the past five national championships. Although he trudged his way through the 30 km nationals earlier this year for a win, this was Seaman's first significant victory at a distance over 20 km, as he handled 50 km stalwarts Dunn and Clausen. The women's race was no contest, once it became apparent who the leader was. Armenta declared for the accompanying 20 km race, so it appeared that Erin Taylor was the 40 km leader for the first half of the race. However, Armenta was not happy with her 20 km time of 1:42:40 so she kept going. "My 20 km wasn't as good as I thought it would be. I was hoping to walk under 1:40," said Armenta, of New Balance. Race director Elliott Denman had told Armenta prior to the race to "do the final 20 km as a cool down" so she could collect the $300 first prize. Armenta declined. But she ended up doing that and more, as she set a new US 40 km best. She beat the old mark of 3:40:28 walked by Cheryl Rellinger in 1998 by over eight minutes and would have finished fifth in the men's race. Taylor finished slightly over 40 minutes behind Armenta in 4:12:23 to claim second. Rellinger was also in this morning's race, passing Loretta Schuellein on the final 2 km lap to finish fourth (4:19:26). "Just before 20 km, I slowed to 5:15 per kilometer. I thought I could hold it for 10-15 km more. I figured if I could do that, then I could get in a decent 40 km," explained the 28-year-old Armenta. Armenta also set a personal best for 30 km along the way. Perhaps the most inspiring story, however, was third place finisher Sherry Brosnahan. While nearly one-quarter of the field called it a day before finishing the 40 km race, Brosnahan one-upped Armenta by continuing on to 50 km, hoping to set a new master's (40 & over) record. Brosnahan was the Energizer Bunny. Down came the rain. Down swooped the wind. But Brosnahan just kept banging the drum. And down came the World Master's Best as she walked 5:21:52. At the awards ceremony, Brosnahan simply said, "It was hard." But she said it with a smile. "This was one of the best 40 km Championships ever. Considering the terrible conditions, these were some of the guttiest performances I've ever seen," said Denman. Temperatures held in the low 60's, but heavy rain flooded parts of the course and gusting winds were particularly troublesome on the last 500 meters of the 2000 meter looped-course. Seaman and company will be back on the East Coast September 29 for the National 1-hour/2-hour Championships on Long Island. The race will be held on the track of Seaman's alma matter, North Babylon High School. The school's claim to fame includes rapper/actor LL Cool J in addition to Seaman, a 1990 graduate. National 40 km Championships Joe Palaia Park Ocean Township, NJ MEN Place Name Team/Home Age Time Pace/Mile 1 Tim Seaman NYAC 3:06:17 - 0:07:30 2 Philip Dunn 30 - 3:08:34 - 0:07:35 3 Curt Clausen NYAC 34 - 3:12:23 - 0:07:44 4 Al Heppner U S Army 3:27:43 - 0:08:21 5 John Soucheck Shore AC 37 - 3:47:01 - 0:09:08 6 Billl Vayo East Side 38 - 3:51:50 - 0:09:20 7 Chris Knotts Miami Valley 46 - 3:56:25 - 0:09:31 8 Rod Craig Pegasus AC 44 - 3:58:37 - 0:09:36 9 Erik Litt Shore AC 34 - 4:15:03 - 0:10:16 10 Dan O'Brien Pegasus AC 37 - 4:15:42 - 0:10:17 11 Leon Jasionowski Pegasus AC 57 - 4:17:22 - 0:10:21 12 Chris Rael Shore AC 44 - 4:20:22 - 0:10:29 13 Bob Keating N E Walkers 55 - 4:26:27 - 0:10:43 14 Ed Fitch Miami Valley 41 - 4:26:45 - 0:10:44 15 Alexis Davidson 46 - 4:27:02 - 0:10:45 16 Tom Quattrocchi Shore AC 51 - 4:35:20 - 0:11:05 17 Bruce Cooper Kansas 49 - 4:47:28 - 0:11:34 18 Lon Wilson East Side 55 - 4:50:09 - 0:11:40 19 Jack Starr Phast 74 - 4:57:11 - 0:11:57 20 Jack Blackburn Miami Valley - 5:16:48 - 0:12:45 21 Art Glass Shore AC 53 - 5:19:14 - 0:12:51 22 Mike Michel Lynn, NC - 5:20:14 - 0:12:53 23 John Molendyk Shore AC 60 - 5:20:44 - 0:12:54 24 Tom Hartman Shore AC 60 - 5:21:00 - 0:12:55 25 Edward Gawinski Phast 5:22:17 - 0:12:58 26 Bill Norton Shore AC 52 - 5:25:17 - 0:13:05 27 Eliot Collins Shore AC 50 - 6:04:53 - 0:14:41 24km Ralph Edwards Shore AC 60 - 3:13:10 - 0:12:57 22km Jack Lach Shore AC - 2:29:07 - 0:10:54 20km Dick Van Benthuysen Shore AC 54 - 2:08:35 - 0:10:21 18km Alex Major Baltimore 31 - 1:44:50 - 0:09:22 10km Wayne Baker Shore AC 1:03:25 - 0:10:12 DQ Herb Appell Pennsylvania 83 DQ John Fredericks Shore AC 54 WOMEN: 1 Susan Armeta 3:32:08 - 0:08:32 2 Erin Taylor Park Racewalkers 24 - 4:12:23 - 0:10:09 3 Sherry Brosnahan Shore AC 50 - 4:15:18 - 0:10:16 4 Cheryl Rellinger Troy, NY 35 - 4:19:26 - 0:10:26 5 Loretta Schuellein East Side 24 - 4:20:28 - 0:10:29 6 Anne Gonella Shore AC 41 - 4:54:17 - 0:11:50 7 Eileen Druckenmiller 5:22:16 - 0:12:58 8 Sandy Rubel Shore AC 55 - 5:28:32 -0:13:13 24km Nancy Linky Shore AC 3:22:08 - 0:13:33 20km Joan Venslavsky Shore AC 52 - 2:21:35 - 0:11:24 10km Jennifer Marlborough Park Racewalkers 30 - 1:00:44 - 0:09:46 DQ Karen Diaz __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? 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