Maria Michta-Coffey
Personal information | |
---|---|
Full name | Maria Lynn Michta-Coffey |
Nationality | American |
Born | Stony Brook, New York, U.S. | June 23, 1986
Height | 5 ft 5 in (1.65 m) |
Weight | 115 lb (52 kg) |
Sport | |
Country | United States |
Sport | Track and field |
Event(s) | Racewalking |
Club | Walk USA |
Coached by | Tim Seaman |
Achievements and titles | |
Personal best(s) | 20 km walk: 1:30:49 American Record
15km walk: 1:07:51 American Record 10km walk: 45:08 official split in 20k 5km walk: 21:57 American Record |
Maria Michta-Coffey (born June 23, 1986) is an American race walker of Polish descent.[1] She competed at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London in the 20 kilometer race walk after winning the U.S. Olympic trials with a time of 1:34:53.33.[2] At the 2012 Olympics, she finished in 29th place in the 20 kilometer race walk with a time of 1:32:27, a new personal best.[3]
Life and career[edit]
She had a strong 2014 season, setting four American records in the race walk, and even breaking her own American record in the 20 km twice in just over one month. She was the highest placed American finisher ever in the Women's 20 km IAAF World Race Walking Cup, setting a new American record of 1:30:49 and finishing 30th.[4] Michta won her 6th National Title of 2014 on September 14 at the National 30k in Valley Cottage, NY.[5]
Michta graduated from high school in the Sachem School District on Long Island in New York in 2004.[6] She graduated as valedictorian from Long Island University C. W. Post Campus in 2008 and then became a PhD candidate at the Mount Sinai Medical School[6][7] in biomedical science.[8] Michta married her Sachem High School sweetheart Joe Coffey on July 3, 2014. She now races under the last name Michta-Coffey.[9] She defended her thesis entitled: "Hepatitis C virus cell entry determinants of occludin" in 2014 earning her Ph.D. in Biomedical Sciences.
While training for the 2016 Summer Olympics Michta-Coffey taught at Suffolk County Community College as an adjunct professor. She went on to win her 30th National Title on June 30 in Salem, Oregon at the US Olympic Trials in Track and Field earning her second Olympic Berth. She went on to finish 22nd at the Rio Summer Olympics, the highest finish by a female American race walker.
Michta-Coffey was inducted into the Suffolk Sports Hall of Fame on Long Island in the Track & Field Category with the Class of 2016.
Personal bests[edit]
Event | Result | Venue | Date |
---|---|---|---|
Road walk | |||
10 km | 48:03 min | Lima, Peru | 7 May 2005 |
20 km | 1:30:49 hrs | Taicang, China | 3 May 2014 |
Track walk | |||
5000 m | 21:50.15 min | Philadelphia, United States | 25 April 2015 |
10,000 m | 49:43.85 min | Windsor, Canada | 30 July 2005 |
Competition record[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ Michta, Maria (July 8, 2012). "My race, my moment, my BECOMING". Maria Michta.com. Archived from the original on February 16, 2013. Retrieved January 27, 2013.
- ^ http://www.legacy.usatf.org/Events/2012/OlympicTrials-TF/Results/Results22-1.htm
- ^ London 2012 - Women's 20km Race Walk results
- ^ http://www.legacy.usatf.org/News/Race-Walker-Maria-Michta-earns-second-USATF-Athlet.aspx
- ^ "Michta Triumphs in USATF 30K Racewalk". 18 September 2014.
- ^ a b Maria Michta
- ^ Maria Michta.com: About Me!
- ^ Johnson, K. C. (August 29, 2012). "Meet Maria Michta, a race walker we won't soon forget". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved August 13, 2012.
- ^ "LI racewalker Michta wins national title".
External links[edit]
- Official website
- Maria Michta-Coffey at World Athletics
- Maria Michta at legacy.USATF.org
- Maria Michta-Coffey at the International Olympic Committee (2016)
- Maria Michta at the International Olympic Committee (2012)
- Maria Michta-Coffey at TeamUSA.org
- Maria Michta at Olympics at Sports-Reference.com (archived)
- 1986 births
- Living people
- American people of Polish descent
- American female racewalkers
- Olympic track and field athletes of the United States
- Athletes (track and field) at the 2012 Summer Olympics
- Athletes (track and field) at the 2016 Summer Olympics
- People from Stony Brook, New York
- Sportspeople from Suffolk County, New York
- World Athletics Championships athletes for the United States
- Pan American Games track and field athletes for the United States
- Athletes (track and field) at the 2011 Pan American Games
- Athletes (track and field) at the 2015 Pan American Games
- USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships winners
- USA Indoor Track and Field Championships winners
- 21st-century American women