Santee to Host Olympic Trial Race Walk

America’s top race walkers will gather in Santee on Sunday, January 21 to compete for a spot on the U.S. Olympic team.

Photo by Jeff Salvage

Race organizers are expecting 13 athletes –12 men and one woman – to compete in the 50-kilometer (31-mile) race, which begins at 7:30 a.m.

The competitors will walk a 1.25 kilometer loop course on Mast Boulevard between Magnolia Avenue and Jeremy Street, which is south of Santana High School. The event, which will feature a disc jockey playing music and performances by local cheerleaders, is intended to be festive and crowd-friendly.

The winner, who is expected to cross the finish line in just over four hours, will receive a $6,000 cash prize. It’s possible that up to three competitors could represent the U.S. at the 2012 Olympic Games this summer in London if they finish equal or faster than the minimum qualifying time of 4:09.

Two local racers, John Nunn of San Diego and Tim Seaman of Imperial Beach, both former Olympians in the 20-kilometer event, are among the favorites to win this weekend.

USA Track & Field chose Santee over other cities to host the race because of the likelihood for good weather, the fast course and support from city leaders, said Philip Dunn, the race director.

“We invite track and field fans and the rest of the community to come to Santee and cheer on these amazing athletes as they try to qualify for the Olympic Games,” Dunn said. “Spectators are guaranteed to see the best race walkers in the nation.”

Dunn, the lone 50-kilometer U.S. race walker at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, said he expects the course record, which he set in 2009, to be broken by Sunday’s winner.

Santee previously hosted the U.S. national championship race walk in 2009. The city of Miami hosted the previous Olympic qualifying race in 2008.