Carl Francis Schueler (born February 26, 1956, in

Newburyport, Massachusetts Newburyport is a coastal city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States, northeast of Boston. The population was 18,289 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. A historic seaport with a vibrant tourism industry, Newburyport includes p ...

) is a retired male

race walker Race walking, or racewalking, is a long-distance discipline within the sport of athletics. Although a foot race, it is different from running in that one foot must appear to be in contact with the ground at all times. Race judges carefully asses ...

from the United States. Schueler was a four time olympian and the first American to walk the 50k under 4 hours.

Olympics

Schueler qualified for the 1980 U.S. Olympic team but was unable to compete due to the

1980 Summer Olympics boycott The 1980 Summer Olympics boycott was the largest boycott in Olympic history and one part of a number of actions initiated by the United States to protest against the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. The Soviet Union, which hosted the 1980 Summ ...

. He did however receive one of 461

Congressional Gold Medals The Congressional Gold Medal is the oldest and highest civilian award in the United States, alongside the Presidential Medal of Freedom. It is bestowed by vote of the United States Congress, signed into law by the president. The Gold Medal expre ...

created especially for the spurned athletes. He was a four time Olympian (1980–1992) and competed in three consecutive

Summer Olympics The Summer Olympic Games, also known as the Summer Olympics or the Games of the Olympiad, is a major international multi-sport event normally held once every four years. The inaugural Games took place in 1896 in Athens, then part of the King ...

during his career.

Personal life

He has two daughters named Ellie and Margy, and is married to Debora VanOrden, a twice first alternate Olympic team racewalker. Schueler lives in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Personal bests

* 20 km: 1:25:04 hrs – 1986 * 50 km: 3:57:09 hrs – Rome, 5 September 1987

Achievements

While living in Bethesda, Maryland, Schueler assisted in founding Potomac Valley Track Club, and its annual race walker of the year award is named after him in commemoration for the work he did for them.

References

External links

* * 1956 births Living people American male race walkers Pan American Games track and field athletes for the United States Athletes (track and field) at the 1987 Pan American Games Olympic track and field athletes for the United States Athletes (track and field) at the 1984 Summer Olympics Athletes (track and field) at the 1988 Summer Olympics Athletes (track and field) at the 1992 Summer Olympics Congressional Gold Medal recipients 20th-century American sportsmen {{US-racewalk-athletics-bio-stub