Ewert seeks repeat in USA vs. Canada Junior Race Walk match, also looking to eclipse American Junior 5-kilometer road record

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

Before Taylor Ewert begins her run this season toward an Ohio High School Athletic Association Division 1 state title and All-America recognition again at Nike Cross Nationals, the incoming junior at Beavercreek High still has one last opportunity this year to achieve multiple records in the race walk.

Ewert is scheduled to compete Friday for the Americans in the women’s 5-kilometer road race as part of the 30th annual USA vs. Canada Junior Race Walk match at Hanlan’s Point on Toronto Island. The event is being held in conjunction with the 20-kilometer race walk for the professional athletes as part of the North American, Central American and Caribbean (NACAC) Championships.

Ewert, who won last year’s competition for the U.S. in Georgia, is coming off an exceptional performance July 14 in the 10,000-meter race walk at the IAAF World U-20 Championships in Finland, where she lowered her own American Junior record on the track by more than three minutes to place 10th in 45 minutes, 57.81 seconds.

It was the first time an American female athlete had placed in the top 10 in the race walk at any level in global competition.

“It still kind of blows my mind. I was at Worlds, and it’s something you always dream about going to and competing in, and you always watch when you’re younger or you hear about it, so the fact that I was able to qualify and go there was amazing,” Ewert said. “We weren’t sure how it was going to go, because I had to take some time off after such a long track season, but to be able to go there and do such a massive PR that kind of puts me on the radar for the race walk, especially going into the Olympic year coming up here soon, I think it just kind of put in perspective where I’m at in my race walking and what I can accomplish when I really focus on it.”

Ewert, 16, won last year’s 5-kilometer event by nearly a minute, and figures to be a significant favorite to repeat Friday, but it was a highly competitive field in Finland that saw Ewert and five other finishers in the top 15 produce national U-20 records for their respective countries at the 10,000-meter distance.

“The competition is the biggest thing that benefited me because I don’t know if I’d be able to do that if I was by myself. The competition there was amazing and I think they were able to help push me and keep me motivated and get every ounce of energy out of me,” said Ewert, who elevated to the No. 6 performer in American history in the 10,000 race walk on the track.

“In the U.S., I only have a few chances to race walk and every race is maybe my only opportunity that year to try to lower my PR and me being out there by myself just increases the risk of, ‘Am I going to do it at this meet today or am I not?’

“I think with the competition, I was able to have athletes to help pull me along, so it was a new playing field there and I just really took advantage of it and it was awesome.”

Ewert competed in a 5,000-meter race walk April 28 at the Penn Relays and produced an American Junior record of 22:38.16, still the fastest U-20 time on the track in the world this year.

Entering Friday’s road race, which is conducted on a two-kilometer loop, Ewert will be faced with different challenges. Last year’s course in Georgia featured several sharp turns and loose gravel that made for, at times, difficult footing.

“When you’re on the track, it becomes very repetitive because you’re in the same environment for a very long time, and that’s where it can get really long and mentally challenging. In a road race, you have the advantage of a more scenic route, which kind of makes it mentally easier,” Ewert said. “If it’s a good course and good weather, I just have to prepare for being by myself for the majority of it, so I can handle it. The course will be the biggest challenge because you never know how flat it’s going to be. I know it’s not going to be as flat as a track, but if there are any hills or inclines, you have to prepare for those.”

In addition to looking to follow the success of fellow American Anali Cisneros, who won back-to-back titles in 2015-16, Ewert also has a pair of significant time goals to target Friday after winning last year in 24:31.95.

American Robyn Stevens still holds the meet record of 24:11 from 1999 and 42-time national champion Maria Michta-Coffey boasts the U.S. Junior 5-kilometer road race walk all-time mark of 23:44 from 2005.

“I would like to say, ‘Yes,’ because where I’m at with my training right now, I know when it comes to running shape, I’m in some of the best shape I’ve ever been in, so that definitely plays a big part in my race walking,” Ewert said. “But since this is kind of my offseason for race walking, especially coming off of Worlds, I think the biggest thing is making sure I have the technique and form down since I haven’t been able to get in as much race walking as I typically do before I go into Worlds or (USATF) Juniors or Penn Relays.”

Stevens produced the fastest 5-kilometer road race walk time by an American this year when she clocked 22:25 in January, good for No. 6 in the world. China’s Quanming Wu boasts the overall world lead at 21:41, with 11 U-20 athletes having eclipsed 23 minutes already this year.

“I think it could go both ways because my fitness is very high, but I haven’t been able to do as much race walk preparation as I would for a bigger meet such as Worlds or (USATF) Juniors,” Ewert said. “I think with a good road course, I’m not sure how fast I’ll be able to go, but just having the opportunity to get out there and race and get another international experience under my belt will benefit me most in the long run.”