On Thursday 22nd and Friday 23rd April 2021, the Appalachian Athletics Conference Outdoor Athletics Championships were held in Columbia, South Carolina, USA, originally scheduled for the previous weekend but postponed to the forecast of severe weather for Saturday.
The walking events of the championships took place on the second day (23 April) with a single start for men and women at 14:00.
5.000m track walk women
Once again the twins Victoria and Jessica Heiser-Whatley fought for the victory.
Frankly we like to see a couple of twins competing together in race walking, as in the past the twins Aydossova (Diana and Dana, later married Gusarova) from Kazakistan or the twins Monika and Zivilé Vaiciukeviciute who bring us back to the thought of emulation of activity of a sister. The Vaiciukeviciute twins arrived at race walking emulating the two years older sister Gintarè Vaiciukeviciute who, however, had to succumb to the personal best level of the two younger ones.
But let's get back to our race.
For both it was a race in which the family spirit we imagine will certainly prevail over the desire for victory (some races in Italy from a distant period of more than 30 years with the twins Maurizio and Giorgio Damilano come to mind), given that both they had personal best clearly inferior to the result they later obtained.
But so be it. TRace walking also lives on these little thoughts and anecdotes
Victory anyway for Victoria (never a name was more appropriate) Heiser-Whatlery (USA) in 27:41.55
Second place to Jessica Heiser-Whatlery (USA) in 27:42.71
Third place finally for Shelby Winn (USA) who, towed by the twins, achieved a time of 27:45.82 in her first 5.000m on the track.
There were nine athletes at the start, of which eight completed the race and 1 DQ
5.000m track walk men
Five athletes at the start and all completed the race.
Victory for Brandon Bacon (USA) in 23:09.67
Second place to Nathaniel Wilburn (USA) in 25:59.73
Third place to Roy Walker (USA) in 32:57.13