Race walker Robyn Stevens competing for second Olympic Team

WATCH OUT IF ROBIN STEVENS INVITES YOU ON A WALK. I HAVE A LOT OF MEMORIES IN THESE HILLS. MILES OF MEMORIES. SINCE A RUNNING COACH AT VACAVILLE HIGH SCHOOL SUGGESTED THAT SHE TRY RACE WALKING. IT’S SUPER TECHNICAL. IT’S WHAT DREW ME TO IT. FOR RACE WALKING, YOU HAVE TO LAND WITH ONE FOOT ON THE GROUND AT ALL TIMES AND YOU HAVE TO HAVE IT LAND IT WITH A STRAIGHT LEG AND IT NEEDS TO STAY STRAIGHT UNTIL IT PASSES BENEATH THE HIP. JUDGES WATCH EVERY MOVE. THE SPORT RELIES SOLELY ON WHAT A JUDGE SEES WITH THEIR EYES. THE 20 K UM, ALL AVERAGE BETWEEN SEVEN MINUTES AND 715 PER MILE. ROBIN WON THE 2021 US OLYMPIC TRIALS AND FINISHED 33RD OUT OF 58. IN THE 20KM AT THE DELAYED TOKYO OLYMPICS. I WAS GOING TO RETIRE AFTER TOKYO. I ALMOST RETIRED LAST YEAR AT 41, SHE IS STILL AMERICA’S FASTEST FEMALE WALKER. ROBIN WAS THE ONLY FEMALE RACE WALKER FOR TEAM USA DURING THE TOKYO OLYMPICS, WHICH OF COURSE TOOK PLACE DURING THE PANDEMIC AND COVID HAS CONTINUED TO CHASE HER. SHE WAS DIAGNOSED WITH LONG HAUL COVID, AND IT TOOK HER RESTING HEART RATE FROM 41 TO 58. I HAD THIS LIKE DEEP SENSE OF MALAISE AND IT WASN’T RESPONDING. IT JUST I DIDN’T RECOGNIZE MYSELF AND SOME PEOPLE WERE SAYING, OH, IT’S BECAUSE YOU’RE OLDER. I’M LIKE, NO, THIS IS DIFFERENT. THE LINGERING HIT TO HER RESPIRATORY SYSTEM LED TO MONTHS AWAY FROM TRAINING IN 2023, THE LAST COUPLE MONTHS WHERE MY BODY FEELS FAMILIAR AGAIN, FAMILIAR AND FAST. AS ROBIN HEADS BACK TO THE U.S. OLYMPIC TRACK AND FIELD TRIALS, WHERE SHE NEEDS TO PLACE TOP THREE IN THE 20 K EVENT AND MEET THE OLYMPIC STANDARD OF ONE, 29, 20. THIS OLYMPIC CYCLE IS ALL ABOUT THE ALL AROUND WHOLE WELLNESS, HEALTH BALANCE WITH FAMILY AND AND TRAINING AND IT’S BEEN REALLY ENJOYABLE. A NEW OUTLOOK WITH THE SAME GOAL AND ROBIN WILL COMPETE SATURDAY IN THE 20KM AT THE U.S. TRACK AND FIELD TRIALS IN OREGON. BOTH THE WOMEN AND THE MEN DO RACE THE 20 KILOMETER DIFFERENCE DISTANCE RATHER, AND THAT WORKS OUT TO ABOUT 12.4 MILES. AND IT IS JUST FASCINATING TO SEE HOW THEY CAN WALK SO FAST AND KEEP THAT FORM. AND YOU KNOW WHAT’S CRAZY ABOUT MOST OF HER TRAINING WHEN SHE’S BACK IN CALIFORNIA IS IN HER NEIGHBORHOOD. SO, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ARE OUT WALKING THE DOG AND SHE’S LAPPING THEM AND EVERYBODY CHEERS HER ON. AND SHE’S GOING, IT’S PRETTY COOL. SHE’S GOT GREAT COMMUNITY SUPPORT THERE.

Making an Olympic Team is never easy. Robyn Stevens fought an unwelcome opponent on her road to Paris.Robyn competed in the Tokyo Olympics as Team USA's lone female race walker. She finished 33rd out of 58 competitors in the 20km event.She thought about retiring after the delayed Tokyo Games. But, she wanted to give her mother the chance to see her compete in an Olympics since fans were not allowed in Japan because of pandemic restrictions. That and the fact that she's still incredibly fast encouraged Robyn to stay in her sport and continue training for Paris. Training took a major detour in 2023 when Robyn was diagnosed with long haul Covid after a training camp in Oregon."For the fitness I was in, my body wasn't responding. I had this deep sense of malaise . I didn't recognize myself and some people were saying oh it's because you're older. And I said no, this is different," Robyn said. Respiratory illnesses are a major problem for endurance athletes and Robyn took four months off of training. Her health improved and at 41, she's on track for the 20km race walk at the U.S. Olympic Track & Field Trials in Springfield, Oregon. Robyn needs to finish top 3 in the 20km and meet the Olympic standard of 1:29:20 to compete in Paris.

VACAVILLE, Calif. —

Making an Olympic Team is never easy. Robyn Stevens fought an unwelcome opponent on her road to Paris.

Robyn competed in the Tokyo Olympics as Team USA's lone female race walker. She finished 33rd out of 58 competitors in the 20km event.

She thought about retiring after the delayed Tokyo Games. But, she wanted to give her mother the chance to see her compete in an Olympics since fans were not allowed in Japan because of pandemic restrictions.

That and the fact that she's still incredibly fast encouraged Robyn to stay in her sport and continue training for Paris.

Training took a major detour in 2023 when Robyn was diagnosed with long haul Covid after a training camp in Oregon.

"For the fitness I was in, my body wasn't responding. I had this deep sense of malaise . I didn't recognize myself and some people were saying oh it's because you're older. And I said no, this is different," Robyn said.

Respiratory illnesses are a major problem for endurance athletes and Robyn took four months off of training.

Her health improved and at 41, she's on track for the 20km race walk at the U.S. Olympic Track & Field Trials in Springfield, Oregon.

Robyn needs to finish top 3 in the 20km and meet the Olympic standard of 1:29:20 to compete in Paris.

Race walker Robyn Stevens competing for second Olympic Team

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