Women's 20K Walk Results
On a cool windy morning Michelle Rohl made an impressive mid-race move on Yueling Chen and never looked back on her way to victory. With cool (65 degrees or less for the entire race), dry conditions for the start the weather seemed ideal. Except for a consistent and noticable cross-wind the conditions could not have been better.
By 8K the race was down to four women with Rohl and Chen 5 seconds ahead of Debbi Lawrence and Sara Stevenson. Just past the halfway point Rohl made a decisive move. By 11K Rohl had opened a 8 second gap on Chen in second. Meanwhile, Lawrence was 39 seconds back and Stevenson another 18 seconds back.
By 14k the Olympic Team was all but decided. Rohn had a 20 second lead on Chen. Lawrence was anoth 34 seconds back and Stevenson was fading nearly 50 seconds behind Lawrence.
Rohl went on to notch an impressive 1:32.39 for her first Olympic Trials victory. Previously she finished 3rd in '92 and 2nd in '96 in the 10K. Chen finished in 1:33:40 with Lawrence following closely in 1:33:48.
Results
20W: 1. Michelle Rohl (unat) 1:32:39.00 (x, 2 A); 2. Yueling Chen (unat) 1:33:40.00 (3, 5 A); 3. Debbi Lawrence (Nik) 1:33:48.00 (4, 6 A); 4. Joanne Dow (adi) 1:36:17.00; 5. Sara Stevenson (ONaz) 1:37:36.00; 6. Sara Standley (unat) 1:38:38.00; 7. Jill Zenner (MVTC) 1:38:54.00; 8. Danielle Kirk (SCW) 1:40:49.00; 9. Gretzhen Eastler Fishman (unat) 1:41:24.00; 10. Susan Armenta (SCW) 1:43:17.00; 11. Amber Antonia (Wi) 1:43:38.00; 12. Cheryl Rellinger (MVTC) 1:44:14.00; 13. Victoria Herazo (CalW) 1:45:23.00; 14. Bobbi Chapman (WC) 1:45:51.00; 15. Deborah Iden (WiPTC) 1:46:19.00; 16. Molly Lavacek (unat) 1:46:43.00; 17. Lisa Sonntag (unat) 1:47:23.00; 18. Debbie Benton (WC) 1:48:14.00; 19. Ali Bahr (WiPTC) 1:49:45.00; 20. Lyn Brubaker (Shore) 1:50:04.00; 21. Heidi Hauch (WC) 1:50:36.00; 22. Sam Cohen (WiPTC) 1:50:48.00; 23. Donna Chamberlain (Shore) 1:50:59.00;… dnf-Theresa Vaill (unat).