 | 18th Nike Outdoor Nationals
June 19-21, 2008 - North Carolina A&T University, Greensboro NC
Race Walk |
Boys - [Video]
Girls - [Video]
Tyler Sorensen (CA) - 7:05.51, Molly Josephs (NY) - 7:46.07
Tyler Sorensen
| Molly Josephs
| 
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photos by Vic Sailer
Boys
by Pete Cava for NSSF
A year ago, Evan Crowdus came out of nowhere to win the walk crown at the Nike Outdoor Nationals. This time around it was freshman Tyler Sorensen (Lafayette, CA) who emerged from obscurity to finish first in Greensboro.
Crowdus (Morganfield, KY), one of only two seniors in the seven-man field, went out hard and had a 50-meter lead at the halfway mark. Sorensen, meanwhile, showed economical form and patiently maintained his own pace. As the rest of the pack fell further back, Sorensen began to gain ground.
Long before then, Crowdus realized the error of his ways. “I saw the quarter-mile mark (1:36) and knew I was done,” he said after the race. Crowdus passed the halfway mark in 3:19. He soon began to pay a toll for the indiscriminate pace, and Sorensen began reeling him in.
Sorensen took over the lead at the start of the bell lap and breezed home first in 7:05.51. Second was Crowdus in 7:20.17 while third place went to Matt Bolton (Hollis Center, ME) with a time of 8:12.49.
Sorensen's victory came on the heels of his sister's third-place finish in the girls' walk. Nicolette Sorensen, 20 months younger than Tyler and an eighth grader, had a time of 7:52.77.
“I knew Evan was the defending champion,” said Sorensen. “My goal was to pretty much go at my pace, stay with that pace and make him have to keep up with that pace. Just being here is awesome. To actually win it is really nice.”
Crowdus is headed to Lindsey-Wilson College in Kentucky. With the Vergara brothers (Roberto and Ricardo) also enrolled, Lindsey-Wilson is an emerging walk powerhouse in the NAIA ranks.
C.F.P.I. Timing & Data - Contractor License
Nike Outdoor Nationals - 6/19/2008 to 6/21/2008
North Carolina A+T University, Greensboro, NC
Event 21 Boys 1 Mile Race Walk
================================================================
National: $ 6:03.6h 6/1/2002 Adam Staier, Farmington, ME
Meet: M 6:11.05 6/15/2001 Benjamin Shorey, Ellsworth,
Freshman: F 7:07.0h 4/23/2005 Robert Vergara, Edinburg, T
Sophomore: O 6:27.34 6/14/2002 Zachary Pollinger, Mahwah,
Junior: J 6:25.71 6/13/2003 Zachary Pollinger, Mahwah,
Senior: S 6:03.6h 6/1/2002 Adam Staier, Farmington, ME
Name Year School Finals
================================================================
Finals
1 Sorensen, Tyler 12 Lafayette, CA 7:05.51F
2 Crowdus, Evan 08 Morganfield, KY 7:20.17
3 Bolton, Matt 08 Hollis Center, ME 8:12.49
4 Seiferth, Lucas 09 Gorham, ME 8:19.22
5 Tremblay, Keith 11 Auburn, ME 8:48.36
6 Favreau, Evan 11 Auburn, ME 9:00.20
7 Nadeau, Kristopher 11 Wilton, ME 9:04.90
Girls
by Elliot Denman for NSSF
Molly Josephs has been a serious racewalker for just over a year and a half. But just look at this recent Garden City, NY, Middle School graduate now – she’s a national champion with a great future awaiting her.
Long Island colleague and friend Destiny Lalane, a Bay Shore sophomore, gutsily challenged Josephs for the early lead, only to start fading. And once Josephs was out in front on her own, there was no catching her. Josephs crossed the line in 7:46.07 – well under the national freshman record of 7:57.73 – but, of course, won’t get the record because she’s not yet a freshman.
Lalane dropped well back but still had enough left to hold on to second In 7:52.36. Lafayette, Californian Nicolette Sorensen, whose brother Tyler won the boys 1-mile walk title, claimed third in 7:52.77.
Josephs became hooked on walking after a low-key Long Island race in 2007. “I don’t even know what distance that race was; it could have been 5K but I’m not sure. But I didn’t care. I liked being a racewalker. It felt different from running, that’s for sure, and I liked the way I felt. It was fun for me. I’ve never won anything this big before. Hopefully, I can keep winning over the next couple of years and make this a pattern. It makes me excited how good I can be when I get older.”
“At the very end I wasn’t sure how good my pace was. I didn’t know how far people were behind me. I just try to judge how far back people are by listening to how loud the people are in the stands. If I hear a loud noise that means people are close. The crowd didn’t get that loud.”
Josephs, who is coached by Garden City’s Erica Fregosi, marked her 14th birthday on March 28th. Her next big start will be at New York’s Empire State Games.
C.F.P.I. Timing & Data - Contractor License
Nike Outdoor Nationals - 6/19/2008 to 6/21/2008
North Carolina A+T University, Greensboro, NC
Event 22 Girls 1 Mile Race Walk
================================================================
National: $ 7:00.87 6/16/2006 Heather Buletti, Westhampto
Meet: M 7:00.87 6/16/2006 Heather Buletti, Westhampto
Freshman: F 7:57.73 6/18/2004 Brittany O'Brien, Bay Shore
Sophomore: O 7:23.88 6/14/2002 Maria Michta, Sachem,Ronkon
Junior: J 7:44.73 6/13/2003 Jasmine Brooks, Dirigo, ME
Senior: S 7:00.87 6/16/2006 Heather Buletti, Westhampto
Name Year School Finals
================================================================
Finals
1 Josephs, Molly 12 Garden City, NY 7:46.07F
2 Lalane, Destiny 10 Bay Shore, NY 7:52.36F
3 Sorensen, Nicolette 12 Lafayette, CA 7:52.77F
4 Demont, Kayte 08 Cumberland, ME 7:53.86F
5 Moscoso, Maite 12 Longwood, FL 8:20.06
6 Mercouris, Jennifer 10 Bayport, NY 8:50.99
7 Kisley, Hannah 11 Fuquay Varina, NC 8:57.23
8 Reed, Emily 11 Farmington, ME 9:08.11
9 Cox, Ashley 10 Buxton, ME 9:47.51
10 Sparling, Jacklyn 08 Mount Sinai, NY 10:15.77
-- Dutkoski, Mary 08 New City, NY DNS
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