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Dunn, Seaman, Cohen headline Team USA at World Race Walk Cup
Philip Dunn, Tim Seaman and Samantha Cohen will lead Team USA this
weekend as the world's finest race walkers compete at the 23rd IAAF
World Race Walk Cup in Cheboksary, Russia.
A total of 55 nations have entered more than 450 athletes to compete in
five separate races (men's 50 km, men's & women's 20 km and junior men's
and women's 10 km races). Each contest will be held around a 2 km loop
course.
Team USA will be led in the 50 km men's race by two-time Olympian and
1999 Pan American Games bronze medalist Philip Dunn, who won the 2008
U.S. Olympic Team Trials -50 km Race Walk in convincing fashion February
10 at Crandon Park in Miami, Fla.
In order to compete in the 50 km walk at the 2008 Olympic Games in
Beijing, China, Dunn must first better the Olympic Games B qualifying
standard of 4 hours 7 minutes this weekend in Russia.
Dunn faced the identical scenario after finishing third at the 2004
Olympic 50 km Trials in Chula Vista, Calif. Dunn punched his ticket for
the Olympic Games in Athens when he bettered the Olympic A standard on
March 23, 2004, with his time of 3:59:12 at a race in Tijuana, Mexico.
Joining Dunn on the 50 km roster is U.S. Olympic Trials - 50 km Race
Walk runner-up Matt Boyles, who will be competing in only his third ever
50 km race this weekend. Also on the U.S. roster is the ageless Ray
Sharp, who finished fourth at the 2007 U.S. 50 km Championship and ended
last year ranked #5 in that event in the U.S. by Track & Field News.
Two-time Olympian and five-time U.S. 20 km champion Tim Seaman will lead
the U.S. men's contingent in 20 km competition. He'll be joined by John
Nunn, who finished third at the 2007 U.S. 20 km and 50 km championships,
and placed seventh at the 2007 Pan Am Games at 20 km.
The Team USA women's 20 km squad will be led by Samantha Cohen, who
placed third at last year's Nationals and ended the 2007 campaign ranked
#2 in the U.S. by T&FN. She'll be joined by Jolene Moore, who was the
runner-up at the 2007 U.S. Championships and Maria Michta, who placed
fourth at last year's Nationals.
Heading up the Team USA Junior Men's squad are reigning 10 km champion
Roberto Vergara and 2007 Nationals third-place finisher Matthew Forgues.
Leading the Junior Women's roster is Jenna Monahan, who placed fourth at
the 2007 U.S. Championships.
Maryanne Daniel (Clinton, Ct.) and Dave McGovern (Locust Valley, N.Y.)
will serve as the Team USA coaches for this event. Steve Vaitones is the
team manager, with Philip Vardiman the team doctor.
2008 IAAF Race Walk World Cup - Team USA Roster
Men 50 km
Matt Boyles - Cedarville, Ohio
Philip Dunn - San Diego, Calif.
Steve Quirke - Kenosha, Wisc.
Ray Sharp - Houghton, Mich.
Ben Shorey - Zion, Ill.
Men 20 km
John Nunn - San Diego, Calif.
Tim Seaman - Imperial Beach, Calif.
Patrick Stroupe - Armstrong, Mo.
Michael Tarantino - San Diego, Calif.
Chris Tegtmeier - Jansen, Neb.
Women 20 km
Susan Armenta - San Jose, Calif.
Stephanie Casey - Salem, Ore.
Samantha Cohen - Racine, Wisc.
Maria Michta - Nesconset, N.Y.
Jolene Moore - Northbrook, Ill.
Junior Men 10 km
Trevor Barron - Bethel Park, Pa.
Matthew Forgues - Boothbay, Maine
Roberto Vergara - Edinburg, Texas
Junior Women 10 km
Catherine Davis - Peekskill, N.Y.
Miranda Melville - Rush, N.Y.
Jenna Monahan - Holbrook, N.Y.
For more information on Team USA at the 2008 IAAF World Race Walk Cup in
Russia, visit: USATF.org.
NDSCS dedicates track to Owen and Dee Jensen
The North Dakota State College of Science hosted a naming ceremony for
the university's track and field facility on April 29 naming it in honor
of the late Owen "OJ" Jensen and current USA Track & Field Vice
President Dee Jensen, who are former longtime NDSCS faculty members and
coaches. The facility is now known as the OJ and Dee Jensen Track.
Owen, a native of Pekin, N.D., came to NDSCS in 1974 and taught in the
Business Administration and Management Department until he passed away
in 2002. He started the women's basketball program in 1974 and coached
men's track and cross country from 1974 until the programs' final
seasons in 2002. Owen was selected NDSCS's Outstanding Educator of the
Year in 1996, named Region XIII Coach of the Year four times, and
coached teams to six region track titles and five cross country
championships. Overall, his teams produced 112 Region XIII champions, 27
All-Americans and 44 Academic All-Americans.
Dee, from Heimdal, N.D., also came to NDSCS in 1974 and taught in the
Office Administration Department until 2006. She initiated women's track
and field in 1975 and continued to lead the program until its final
season in 2002. During her tenure, the women's track program won 10
Region XIII championships, captured seven individual national
championships, and boasted 42 All-Americans and 95 All-Region XIII
athletes. She was named Region XIII Coach of the Year 10 times, NJCAA
Women's Coach of the Year in 1986 and was inducted in the NJCAA Hall of
Fame in 1998.
Because of their dedication to NDSCS and the track and cross country
programs, Owen and Dee were recognized as the Wildcats of the Year at
the 2002 alumni Homecoming awards ceremony.
The couple was also widely known throughout the national and
international track community for their active roles in associations and
participation in events such as the Olympic Games, Goodwill Games and
World Championships. Dee continues to serve on the USA Track and Field
Board of Directors, Women's Track and Field Executive Committee and the
National Track and Field Officials Committee.
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