SANTEESANTEE — Side by side went two Olympians from the start of this year’s USATF 35K Race Walk Championships to the point of reckoning.
Miranda Melville and Maria Michta-Coffey shared second place in the women’s race for the most part until taking the lead with 13 kilometers left on the 1K course adjacent to the Trolley Square shopping center on Sunday.
Who then would step forward?
“I told Maria, ‘If you feel like it, just go, don’t let me hold you back.’” said Melville, the defending champion, from Chula Vista. “For a moment, I thought she was going to take it, but then I got a surge, so I thought, “All right I’m going for it.’”
So Melville proceeded to win in 2 hours, 57 minutes, 21 seconds and sur her winning time from last year, when she set an American record (3:00:18) in her debut in a race nearly twice as long as her signature event.
When the two were next together, they shared hugs past the finish line as Melville congratulated Michta-Coffey on placing second (2:58:39) while improving her previous best by 13 seconds.
“Miranda is my best buddy,” said Michta-Coffey, of Lake Grove, N.Y. ”Just to know that I could hang with here as much as possible makes it amazing. I would have loved to be stronger to push her through the last 5K, but to hang with her for that long is an incredible feat in itself.”
Michta-Coffey, 36, cited limited training on her part due to caring for her preschool daughter and working as a physician’s assistant. Meanwhile, Melville stepped up her preparation over the last year since her debut at 35K (21.75 miles), which became the international standard for women three years ago.
Their Olympic experience came in the 20K as Michta-Coffey competed in 2012 and 2016, ed by Melville in 2016.
“My main goal is just to have fun,” said Melville, 33, “I’m an Olympian already. I’m just having fun enjoying. I want to end to end my career on a great note.”
Sprinkles greeted the walkers at the start of the race for some 10 minutes and then heavier rain struck 90 minutes later for about the same duration. Yet competitors reported no slippage on the course and welcomed the 55-degree temperature as deal for competition.
Robyn Stevens, who set the American record (2:49:29) in March, held the lead for the first half of the race but eventually slipped to fourth place among U.S. competitors (3:07:04).
It was the second straight disappointing finish for the Vacaville native, who won the event in 2021. A year ago, she had to withdraw because of an aggravated posterior ailment during the race.
Stephanie Casey, 39, of Portland, Ore., repeated as the third-place finisher (3:00:05). Mexico’s Ilse Ariadna Guerrero, who led for about six kilometers past the midpoint, placed fifth overall (3:05:00) while vying in the international bracket.
In the men’s race, defending champion Nick Christie again prevailed (2:44:16) by more than three seconds with a 32-second improvement from last year. However, he didn’t approach the U.S. record (2:38.16) that he set in late 2021.
Christie, 31, of El Cajon, took command from the outset but battled episodes of vomiting over the last 10 kilometers.
“My gut was feeling bad, so I had trouble keeping it in once the pace started picking up,” Christie said. “Still, I’m happy overall.”
Daniel Nehnevaj, 25, of Beckley, W.V., again placed second (2:47:48), followed by John Risch, 32, of Grand Rapids, Mich. (2:50:06).
The top three finishers for both the men and women earned $8,000, $6,000 and $4,000, respectively.
Thien is a freelance writer.
