Dunn to defend 50K title at USA Championships

2000 Olympian and defending champion Philip Dunn will take on America’s best at the USA 50K Race Walk Championships this Sunday in Chula Vista, California. The event serves as the qualifying meet for the 2002 IAAF Race Walking World Cup in Turin, Italy on October 13 with the top five finishers in Chula Vista qualifying for the Team USA roster for Turin.

Dunn had his best year ever in 2001, easily winning his first U.S. 50K title in 3 hours, 57 minutes, 33 seconds, before placing 14th at the 2001 World Championships in Edmonton (3:56.33). Dunn ended 2001 ranked #2 in the U.S. at 50K by Track & Field News.

Dunn will be challenged by the 1999 World Championships 50K bronze medalist Curt Clausen, who had surgery on his left knee in December to repair a torn meniscus. Despite pain in his knee, Clausen finished seventh at last year’s World Championships, and ended the season ranked #7 in the world and #1 in the U.S. by T&FN. Clausen, who will attempt to win his third U.S. 50K title, set the American 50K record of 3:48.04 on May 2, 1999. He was the runner-up at last year’s Championships in Manassas, Virginia, finishing in 4:06:14.

Also watch for 20K specialist Tim Seaman to be a factor. Seaman finished second to Clausen at the 2001 U.S. 20K Championships in Eugene, Oregon, and ended the season ranked #2 nationally in that event by T&FN. Seaman set the American 20K record of 1:23:40 on August 19, 2000 in Sacramento.

Dunn, Clausen and Seaman are all trained by coach Enrique Pena at the Chula Vista Olympic Training Center.

Other contenders include sub-4 hour walker Al Heppner, who placed fourth at this event last year, and newcomer Steve Quirke, who was ninth at last year’s U.S. 20K Championships.

In conjunction with the men’s championship, the USATF Women’s National 50K Championship will also be held, where Susan Armenta is slated to defend her title.

The USA 50K Race Walk Championships will begin Sunday at 7 a.m. local time. For more information visit our Web site at www.usatf.org.

2004 Winter Nationals awarded to Indy

The 2004 USATF Winter Cross Country Nationals will be held in Indianapolis and the Indiana Invaders Track Club will serve as the hosts, USATF announced Thursday.

At the Feb. 9 meeting of the USATF Cross Country Council, held in conjunction with the 2002 Winter Nationals in Vancouver, Washington, the 2004 Championships were awarded to Indianapolis following a bid presentation by Invaders Director Greg Harger.

“The idea for us to host the Championships started with our use of the Indiana University Track Stadium downtown in Indianapolis a couple years ago,” said Harger. “We started looking around at the resources around the stadium and noticed that we had what could be a cross country course behind the stadium along the White River. Five or six months ago I had the opportunity to jog over the course with (USATF President) Bill Roe and showed him the space, and he suggested that we bid for the Championships. We have the permanent shelters right there for everything we need. About all we’ll have to do is line the course and we’re ready to go.”

The 2003 USATF Winter Nationals will take place February 8-9 in Houston, Texas.

XC Champs on Fox Sports Net

Look for the 2002 USATF Winter Nationals to be featured on New Balance Elite Racing on Fox Sports Net.

The men’s events will air on February 20 at 3:30 p.m., and on Feb. 27 at 11:00 p.m. The women’s events will be shown on March 8 at 3:30 p.m., and on March 21 at 11:30 a.m.