Maria Michta-Coffey Explained

Fullname:Maria Lynn Michta-Coffey
Nationality:American
Birth Date:23 June 1986
Birth Place:Stony Brook, New York, U.S.
Height:5feet
Weight:1150NaN0
Sport:Track and field
Event:Racewalking
Club:Walk USA
Coach:Tim Seaman
Pb:20 km walk: 1:30:49 American Record15km walk: 1:07:51 American Record

10km walk: 44:09 official split in 20k5km walk: 21:51 American Record

Maria Michta-Coffey (born June 23, 1986) is an American race walker. She is a two-time Olympian, having competed for the US at both the 2012 and 2016 Summer Olympics in the 20-kilometer event. Michta-Coffey is the American record-holder at three racewalking distances: 5, 15, and 20 km.

Life and career

Michta-Coffey had a strong 2014 season, setting four American records in the race walk, and broke 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.[1] Michta won her 6th national title of 2014 on September 14 at the National 30k in Valley Cottage, NY.[2]

Michta-Coffey 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.[3] 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.[4]

She won her 30th national title on June 30, 2016 at the US Olympic Trials, earning her second Olympic berth. She finished in 22nd place at the Rio Olympics.

Personal life

Michta is of Polish descent.[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] She defended her Ph.D. in 2014 with her thesis, "Hepatitis C virus cell entry determinants of occludin". While training for the 2016 Summer Olympics, Michta-Coffey taught at Suffolk County Community College as an adjunct professor.

Michta married her Sachem High School sweetheart Joe Coffey on July 3, 2014. After her marriage, she began racing under the name Michta-Coffey.[9]

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

Event Result Venue Date
Road walk
5 km 21:51 minAlbany, United States 31 May 2015 American Record
10 km 44:09+ minEarth City, United States 3 April 2016 American Record
15 km 1:07:51+ hrs Taicang, China 3 May 2014 American Record
20 km 1:30:49 hrs Taicang, China 3 May 2014 American Record
Track walk
5000 m 21:48.09 minPhiladelphia, United States 28 April 2018
10,000 m 45:31.40 minManalapan, United States 30 July 2017

Competition record

Representing the
2003World Youth ChampionshipsSherbrooke, Quebec, Canada10th5000 m track walk24:52.06
2004World Race Walking Cup (U20)Naumburg, Germany29th10 km53:04
14thJunior team68 pts
World Junior ChampionshipsGrosseto, Italy22nd10,000 m51:42.95
2005Pan American Race Walking Cup (U20)Lima, Peru2nd10 km48:03
4thJunior team19 pts
Pan American Junior ChampionshipsWindsor, Ontario, Canada3rd10,000 m49:43.85
2006NACAC U-23 ChampionshipsSanto Domingo, Dominican Republic5th10,000 m walk52:26.00
2007Pan American Race Walking CupBalneário Camboriú, Brazil19th20 km1:53:55
4thTeam45 pts
NACAC ChampionshipsSan Salvador, El Salvador7th10,000 m59:00.37
2008World Race Walking CupCheboksary, Russia66th20 km1:45:02
15thTeam190 pts
2009Pan American Race Walking CupSan Salvador, El Salvador13th20 km1:50:21
3rdTeam39 pts
2011World ChampionshipsDaegu, South Korea29th20 km1:38:54
Pan American GamesGuadalajara, Mexico9th20 km
2012Olympic GamesLondon, United Kingdom29th20 km1:32:27
2013World ChampionshipsMoscow, Russia33rd20 km1:33:51
2014World Race Walking CupTaicang, China30th20 km1:30:49
12thTeam167 pts
2015Pan American Race Walking CupArica, Chile5th20 km1:34:06
3rdTeam35 pts
Beijing, China20th20 km1:33:24
2016Olympic GamesRio de Janeiro, Brazil22nd20 km1:33:41
2018NACAC ChampionshipsToronto, Canadabgcolor=gold1st20,000 m1:36:34 CR
20192019 World Athletics ChampionshipsDoha, Qatar35th20 km1:46:02
2022World ChampionshipsEugene, United States22nd35 km
NACAC ChampionshipsFreeport, Bahamas3rd20 km1:42:14.32

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: USA Track & Field - Race Walker Maria Michta earns second USATF Athlete of the Week honors . Legacy.usatf.org . 2022-09-08.
  2. Web site: Michta Triumphs in USATF 30K Racewalk. 18 September 2014.
  3. Web site: Women's 20000 Meter Race Walk . https://web.archive.org/web/20191220065603/http://www.legacy.usatf.org/Events/2012/OlympicTrials-TF/Results/Results22-1.htm . 2019-12-20 . 2024-02-24.
  4. Web site: London 2012 - Women's 20km Race Walk results . 2012-08-14 . 2013-01-03 . https://archive.today/20130103203432/http://www.london2012.com/athletics/event=athletics-women-20km-walk/ . dead .
  5. Web site: My race, my moment, my BECOMING . https://archive.today/20130216105642/http://www.mariamichta.com/2012/07/08/my-race-my-moment-my-becoming/ . dead . February 16, 2013 . Michta . Maria . July 8, 2012 . Maria Michta.com . January 27, 2013 .
  6. http://www.legacy.usatf.org/Athlete-Bios/Maria-Michta.aspx Maria Michta
  7. http://www.mariamichta.com/ Maria Michta.com: About Me!
  8. Web site: Meet Maria Michta, a race walker we won't soon forget. Johnson. K. C.. August 29, 2012. Chicago Tribune. August 13, 2012.
  9. Web site: LI racewalker Michta wins national title.