Sports
Chula Vista Woman, El Cajon Man Win Race Walk Naional Championships
Chula Vista resident Miranda Melville and Nick Christie of El Cajon both successfully defended their championships in the USATF 35K Race.
SANTEE, CA — Chula Vista resident Miranda Melville and Nick Christie of El Cajon both made successful defenses of their championships in the USATF 35K Race Walk Championships Saturday, Jan. 15, in Santee.
Melville was the women's winner in two hours, 57 minutes, 22 seconds, the second-fastest time by an American woman. Christie, a Grossmont High School alumnus, won his third consecutive national title in 2:44:16, the seventh all-time U.S. performance.
Melville was second through 15 kilometers, 35 seconds behind American record holder Robyn Stevens. Melville took the lead over the next 5 kilometers with Maria Michta-Coffey of Lake Grove, New York moving into second.
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Melville, a 2016 Olympian, hit the 20-kilometer mark at 1:40:50 with Stevens 12 seconds behind. Melville increased her lead over Michta-Coffey to 17 seconds at the 30-kilometer mark. Michta-Coffey was second in a lifetime best of 2:58:39, the No. 3 all-time U.S. performance, after finishing third in last year's race. Stephanie Casey of Portland, Oregon was third in a personal-best 3:00:05, fourth on the all-time U.S. performer list. She finished second in last year's race.
Stevens, who competed in the delayed 2020 Tokyo Olympics was fifth3:07:05, behind Mexican Olympian Ilse Guerrero, who finished in 3:05. Christie had a lead of more than one minute by the 5-kilometer mark and increased his lead to almost three minutes through 10 kilometers.
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Christie, who competed in the delayed 2020 Tokyo Olympics, led Dan Nehnevaj of Beckley, West Virginia by 5:10 through 30 kilometers and won by3:32. Nehnevaj was second in 2:47:48 to take over the No. 6 spot on the all-time U.S. performer list. Nehnevaj also finished second last year. John Cody Risch of Grand Rapids, Michigan was third in a personal-best of 2:50:06, eighth on the all-time U.S. performer list.
Melville and Christie each received $8,000 for their victories. Michta-Coffey and Nehnevaj each received $6,000 for their second-place finishes. Casey and Risch both received $4,000 for finishing third.
This was the 10th consecutive year and 13th time in 15 years the championships have been held in Santee.
