Maria Lynn Michta-Coffey (born June 23, 1986) is an American

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 ...

. She is a two-time Olympian, having competed for the US at both the

2012 2012 was designated as: *International Year of Cooperatives *International Year of Sustainable Energy for All Events January *January 4 – The Cicada 3301 internet hunt begins. * January 12 – Peaceful protests begin in the R ...

and

2016 Summer Olympics The 2016 Summer Olympics (), officially the Games of the XXXI Olympiad () and officially branded as Rio 2016, were an international multi-sport event held from 5 to 21 August 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, with preliminary events i ...

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 The World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships is a racewalking event organised by World Athletics. It has been held since 1961, and generally on a biennial basis. The first women's edition of the event happened in 1979. It was formerly know ...

, setting a new American record of 1:30:49 and finishing 30th. Michta won her 6th national title of 2014 on September 14 at the National 30k in Valley Cottage, NY. Michta-Coffey competed at the

2012 Summer Olympics The 2012 Summer Olympics, officially the Games of the XXX Olympiad and also known as London 2012, were an international multi-sport event held from 27 July to 12 August 2012 in London, England, United Kingdom. The first event, the ...

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in the 20 kilometer race walk after winning the U.S. Olympic trials with a time of 1:34:53.33. 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. 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-Coffey is of Polish descent. Michta graduated from high school in the

Sachem School District The Sachem Central School District is the second largest school district by population on Long Island and among the biggest suburban school districts in New York, United States. Founded in 1955, the district now encompasses residents of the Ce ...

Long Island Long Island is a densely populated continental island in southeastern New York (state), New York state, extending into the Atlantic Ocean. It constitutes a significant share of the New York metropolitan area in both population and land are ...

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in 2004.Maria Michta
/ref> She graduated as valedictorian from

Long Island University C. W. Post Campus LIU Post, formally the C.W. Post Campus of Long Island University and often referred to as C.W. Post, is a private university in Brookville, New York, on Long Island. It is part of Long Island University (LIU), and the largest school in the L ...

in 2008 and then became a PhD candidate at the

Mount Sinai Medical School The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (ISMMS or Mount Sinai), formerly the Mount Sinai School of Medicine, is a private medical school in New York City, New York, United States. The school is the academic teaching arm of the Mount Sinai H ...

in biomedical science. 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. Currently, Michta-Coffey works as a Rapid Response and Procedural Physician Assistant. Michta-Coffey married her Sachem High School sweetheart Joe Coffey on July 3, 2014. After her marriage, she began racing under the name Michta-Coffey. She was inducted into the

Suffolk Sports Hall of Fame The Suffolk Sports Hall of Fame is an American sports hall of fame based in Suffolk County on Long Island, New York. The non-profit was established during 1990 to honor outstanding people, living or deceased, who have gained prominence and made s ...

on Long Island in the Track & Field Category with the Class of 2016. Michta-Coffey is the mother of children, Liliana Marie and Daniel Chester.

Personal bests

Competition record

References

External links

* * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Michta-Coffey, Maria 1986 births Living people American people of Polish descent American female race walkers Olympic track and field athletes for the United States Athletes (track and field) at the 2012 Summer Olympics Athletes (track and field) at the 2016 Summer Olympics People from Stony Brook, New York Sportspeople from Brookhaven, New York World Athletics Championships athletes for the United States Pan American Games track and field athletes for the United States Athletes (track and field) at the 2011 Pan American Games Athletes (track and field) at the 2015 Pan American Games USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships winners USA Indoor Track and Field Championships winners 21st-century American sportswomen 20th-century American women Athletes (track and field) at the 2023 Pan American Games