Race Walk
Nike Indoor Nationals
March 10-11, 2007 PG Sportsplex, Landover MD
DyeStat on-site coverage
Results - Boys Story by Pete Cava, Girls Story by Elliott Denman
Christie Bernier looked up at the scoreboard and couldn't believe what she saw '1. Bernier 7:58.93.' You're number one, you're number one," her dad, Bob Bernier had to convince her. But how could that be when Long Islander Leah Buletti "took it out" from the gun and was last seen building a huge lead? The scoreboard had it right. Buletti, the heralded Westhampton Beach sophomore whose big sister Heather won the Nike Outdoor National title as a senior last June, ran afoul of the judges, was tagged with three red cards for technique violations, went to the sidelines, and wound up on the "DQ" list. NIN champion Bernier is a freshman at Edward Little High School in Auburn, Maine and one more product of the great program in the nation's most Easterly state, where walking has full status on the statewide program. Her 7:58.93 was a career best by far (her previous PR: 8:13.91) and gave her all kinds of optimism for future success. "I definitely want to compete in some international events," she said. "I don't know when, but some day." She won't be 15 until August 9 and so is one of NIN's youngest-ever champions. This is just her second winter of racewalking but she's had three years of racing in the USATF junior ranks. And she finds time for soccer in the fall. Not until she crossed the finish line, though, did she realize she'd won and Buletti was out. "When I saw my Dad cheering like that, I knew something big had happened." Upstate New Yorkers Olivia Lapham (8:02.81) and Chelsea Conway (8:06.58) went 2-3 with Fair Lawn, NJ's Allison Snochowski (8:10.36) right behind. South Texas Walking Club's Jessica Reybal won the first of the two 11-walker sections in 8:14.87 and was seventh over-all. Boys Mile walk: Heading into the final lap, twin brothers Roberto and Ricardo Vergara (Edinburg, Texas) appeared to be in control. Roberto, looking for a second consecutive NIN title, began to pull away on the final lap. But on the homestretch Christoph Roschinsky (Washington Court House, Ohio), who'd been hanging back in third, put on a surge and passed the stocky Texans. Moments later, however, officials informed Roschinsky he'd been disqualified. Roberto Vergara, who finished in 6:32.62, got the win. "I don't know why," said a bewildered Roschinsky, the German junior 5K and 10K walk champ who goes to school just outside Columbus, Ohio. "I wasn't worried," Roberto said about being passed by Roschinsky on the homestretch. "He picked up a couple of red cards during the race and on the last lap, he picked up another one." Ricardo Vergara was second for the second consecutive year. His time was 6:37.25. Third was Trevor Barron (Bethel Park, Pa.) in 6:47.98. "We have fun," Roberto said of the competition with his brother. "We push each other. He pushes me in competition and I push him." The Vergaras are juniors, and they plan to return next year. "I think I can make it three in a row," said Roberto. Asked if Ricardo might have anything to say about, Roberto shot back: "Yeah, he'll try to beat me." Results Girls Boys Event 45 Boys 1 Mile Race Walk ================================================================ National: N 6:11.00 2/2/1990 Paul Tavares, Centereach, NY Meet: M 6:17.96 3/15/2003 Zach Pollinger, Mahwah, NJ Freshman: ( 6:49.50 3/12/2005 Roberto Vergara, Edinburg, TX Sophomore: R 6:29.96 1993 Kevin Eastler, Mt. Blue,Farmington, ME Junior: J 6:17.96 2003 Zachary Pollinger, Mahwah, NJ Senior: $ 6:11.00 2/2/1990 Paul Tavares, Centereach, NY Name Year School Finals ================================================================ 1 Vergara, Roberto D 08 Edinburg, TX 6:32.62( 2 Vergara, Ricardo D 08 Edinburg, TX 6:37.25( 3 Barron, Trevor 10 Bethel Park, PA 6:47.98( 4 Forgues, Matthew 10 Boothbay, ME 7:18.03 5 Campbell, Tyler 09 Lisbon, ME 7:18.49 6 Villarreal, Abraham 08 Donna, TX 7:21.88 7 Adams, Brian Andrew 10 Spartanburg, SC 7:22.29 8 Burns, Taylor 07 Scarborough, ME 7:36.32 9 Chavez, Alejandro 11 Pharr, TX 7:39.45 10 Shaffer, Patrick 08 Howard, OH 8:10.26 Girls Event 46 Girls 1 Mile Race Walk ================================================================ National: ) 7:00.94 3/13/2004 Katy Hayes, Oconomowoc, WI National: N 7:00.90 3/15/1998 Lisa Kutzing, Port Jefferson, NY Meet: M 7:00.94 3/13/2004 Katy Hayes, Oconomowoc, WI Freshman: ( 7:24.67 3/15/1998 Lisa Kutzing, Port Jefferson, NY Sophomore: R 7:17.24 1992 Melissa Baker, ShorehamWR, Shoreham, NY Junior: J 7:00.95 3/13/2004 Katy Hayes, Oconomowoc, WI Senior: $ 7:00.90 3/15/1998 Lisa Kutzing, Port Jefferson, NY Name Year School Finals ================================================================ 1 Bernier, Christie 10 Auburn, ME 7:58.93 2 Lapham, Olivia 08 Penfield, NY 8:02.81 3 Conway, Chelsea 07 Rochester, NY 8:05.58 4 Snochowski, Allison 08 Fair Lawn, NJ 8:10.36 5 Melville, Miranda 07 Rush, NY 8:12.29 6 Ganbaum, Michelle Somers TC 8:12.91 7 Reybal, Jessica 11 McAllen, TX 8:14.87 8 Windman, Anna Somers TC 8:21.57 9 O'Keefe, Carly 07 Rochester, NY 8:22.48 10 Chin, Allison 10 Tipp City, OH 8:25.68 11 Patterson, Eileen (Meg) 07 Penfield, NY 8:34.88 12 Gomez, Nicole 11 McAllen, TX 8:42.74 13 Guzman, Ariana I 11 Mission, TX 8:46.91 14 Kozub, Danielle 07 Orchard Park, NY 8:47.32 15 Wilcox, Sarah 07 West Henrietta, NY 8:47.71 16 Zoyhofski, Rachel 09 Pittsford, NY 8:54.99 17 Adams, Sara 08 Lisbon Falls, ME 8:56.79 18 Syzmanowski, Melissa 08 West Seneca, NY 9:05.15 19 Flores, Diana Lee 11 Pharr, TX 9:28.83 20 Baickle, Kelley 08 Lisbon, ME 9:29.79 NIN home page |