Rohl Walks Back In Time. Deak Streaks To World Mark.

Michelle Rohl, 58, proudly shows off her newly-minted indoor world record in the 3K racewalk. It was her first 3K racewalk in 20 years. Photo by Mike Rohl.

By Ray Glier

Michelle Rohl, 58, stepped back through a portal to her past early Friday afternoon. Actually, she walked back to her past and did it at a world-record pace.

Once upon a time, Rohl was a U.S. Olympian in the racewalk (1992, 1996, 2000). Then, in 2018, she started running races, not fast-walking them, and in 2023 became the American record-holder in the mile for Women 55-59 with a jaunt of 5 minutes, 16.70 seconds.

And then on Friday, Michelle was back in the racewalk, her first in 20 years, she said.

In the USA Track & Field Masters Indoors Championships at the Dr. Conrad Worrill Track and Field Center on the south side, Rohl went 14 minutes, 19.74 seconds in the 3000 meters racewalk to set a new indoors world mark. She broke the 12-year old record of 14:51.24.

"I was going for the world record," Michelle said. "I was pretty sure I could get under 14:50. I didn't think I would get under 14:20.

"It was surprising to me how easily I could pick up racewalking again because I hadn't done it for so long. It felt good. It felt like it always felt."

It felt like old times because Michelle remembered her key to racewalking, which is "walk fast, but don't try and walk fast." Her technique was flawless after all those years and no warning paddles for irregular walking came out from the track officials.

Lap by lap, Rohl glanced at her watch and understood she had something special going on. 

Saturday, Michelle is in her specialty race, the mile run. But it's hard to say what is her specialty anymore. Rohl seems back to where she is accustomed with the racewalk as her specialty.

(Thank you to Bob Weiner, Masters Track & Field Championships Media Director and competitor, for setting up this long distance interview). 

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It was a big day, too, for Liz Deak of Coco Beach, Fla.

Liz, profiled here in Geezer Jock, set American and World records in the 400 meters for women 65-69. After all her health battles, you just have to say "Wow!"

Liz streaked 1:07.66 to break the old U.S. mark by almost four seconds. She crashed the previous world mark of 1:08.39.