Garamendi honors Olympic speed walker from Vacaville
(Photo courtesy Congressman John Garamendi’s Office, Graphic by Solano NewsNet)
Congressman John Garamendi last week honored an athlete from Vacaville who will represent Team U.S.A. in a speed walking event at the Olympic Games in Tokyo next week.
Robyn Stevens was presented with a Congressional Commendation from Garamendi during a meet-and-greet with the federal lawmaker at an event in Davis.
“Her hard work and dedication will inspire others in the pursuit of their own dreams,” Garamendi said in a statement posted to social media. “As Robyn competes in Tokyo for the Olympics, she represents the best of our community and our nation.”
A graduate of the California State University at San Jose, Stevens retired from her athletic career in 2004 while suffering from an eating disorder, she told the Bay Area News Group in an interview earlier this summer.
A friend in Sacramento encouraged her to participate in a 20-kilometer race walk several years ago, a move that ultimately convinced her to emerge from retirement and compete once again.
In 2016, a calf strain removed any hope of her entering the Olympic Games that year. She tried again, winning the Olympic Trials Champions in June and clinching the honor of being one of the top speed walkers in the world.
Speed walking may sound like an absurd sport, but it involves more than a casual stroll around the mall. The rules are strict: One foot must be on the ground at all times. The leg of the lifting foot must remain straight "until the body passes over it," according to the official rules posted on the website of World Athletics.
Stevens’ partner, Nick Christie of Fairfield, also earned a spot at the Tokyo games after winning the men’s 20-kilometer race at the same race in June. Christie learned of his Olympic berth nearly two weeks after the race: He needed to place in the top 60 speed walk racers in the world. His position at the Olympic Trials Champions put him in the 61st spot, but he clinched his spot at the Olympic Games when an athlete with a higher ranking was not permitted to travel by his host country, according to a student article published by Missouri Baptist University.
Watch Robyn Stevens compete for Team USA
Event: Women’s 20-kilometer speed walking event
When: Friday, August 6, 2021
How to watch: NBCSN or the NBC Sports app at 12:30 a.m. Pacific Time, or online at NBCOlympics.com (requires a cable, satellite or streaming TV login); on-demand replay several days later on the streaming service Peacock (free, no login required).
Watch Nick Christie compete for Team USA
Event: Men’s 20-kilometer speed walking event
When: Thursday, August 5, 2021
How to watch: NBCSN or the NBC Sports app at 12:30 a.m. Pacific Time, or online at NBCOlympics.com (requires a cable, satellite or streaming TV login); on-demand replay several days later on the streaming service Peacock (free, no login required).
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