National Athlete of the Month | Maria Michta | October 2011

Event: Race walk
Born: June 23, 1986
High School: Sachem HS North (Long Island, N.Y.) '04
College: C.W. Post '08

Career Highlights: 2011 and 2010 USA Outdoors champion; 2011 and 2010 USA Indoors champion; 2010 USA 30 km RW runner-up; 2009 and 2005 US RW Cup Trials champion; 2005 Pan Am RW runner-up; 2003 USA Junior Outdoor runner-up.

For the second year in a row, Maria Michta captured USA Indoor and Outdoor titles in the race walk events. With her victory at this year's championships, she secured a spot on her first-ever IAAF World Outdoor Championships team. In 2009, Michta fell just short of making the team after finishing third at USA Outdoors, but represented Team USA at the Pan Am Race Walking Cup where she took 13th. Michta also competed at the 2008 IAAF World Race Walking Cup and 2007 Pan Am Race Walking Cup. Prior to joining the ranks of elite race walkers, Michta had a successful junior career that was highlighted by a third place finish at the 2005 Pan Am Junior Outdoor Championships and a second place finish at the Pan Am Race Walking Cup that same year. She was a member of the World Junior Outdoor Championships and World Junior Race Walking Cup teams in 2004, and took 10th place at the 2003 World Youth Championships.

2011: USA Outdoors champion (1:34:51.47)... USA Indoors champion (13:40.52)

2010: USA Outdoors champion (1:39:4.12)... USA Indoors champion (13:51.33)... 2nd at USA 30 km RW Champs (2:39:35)... 4th at US RW Champs (1:43:46)... 3rd at Penn Relays (22:55.55)

2009: 13th at Pan Am RW Cup... 3rd at USA Outdoors (1:41:16.24)... 1st at US RW Cup Trials (1:46:03)

2008: 66th at IAAF World RW Cup (1:45:02)... 7th at US Race Walking Trials (1:45:08)... 8th at Olympic Trials (1:47:45)

2007: 20th at Pan Am RW Cup (1:53:55)... 4th at USA Outdoors (1:41:28)... 5th at US Pan Am RW Cup Trials (1:48:55)... 7th at NACAC Opens (59:01)

2006: 5th at USA Outdoors (1:47:54)... 7th at US World Cup Trials (1:43:42)... 2nd at Penn Relays (23:44)

2005: 3rd at Pan Am Juniors (49:44)... 2nd at Pan Am RW Cup (48:03)... US Pan Am RW Cup Trials champion (48:15)

2004: 22nd at IAAF World Junior Championships (51:42.95)...29th at IAAF World Junior RW Cup (53:04)... 3rd at USA Junior Outdoors (54:13)

2003: 10th at IAAF World Youth Champs (24:52.06)... 2nd at USA Junior Outdoors (55:42)