Maria Lynn Michta-Coffey (born June 23, 1986) is an American race walker. She is a two-time Olympian, having competed for the US at both the 2012 and 2016 Summer Olympics 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, 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 in London 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 on Long Island in New York in 2004. She graduated as valedictorian from Long Island University C. W. Post Campus in 2008 and then became a PhD candidate at the Mount Sinai Medical SchoolMaria Michta.com: About Me! 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 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 Event Result Venue DateRoad walk 5 km 21:51 min Albany, United States 31 May 2015 American Record 10 km 44:09+ min Earth City, United States 3 April 2016 American Record 15 km 1:07:51+ hrs Taicang, China 3 May 2014 American Record 20 km 1:30:49 hrs Taicang, China 3 May 2014 American RecordTrack walk 5000 m 21:48.09 min Philadelphia, United States 28 April 2018 10,000 m 45:31.40 min Manalapan, United States 30 July 2017
Competition record Representing the 2003World Youth ChampionshipsSherbrooke, Quebec, Canada10th5000 m track walk24:52.062004World Race Walking Cup (U20)Naumburg, Germany29th10 km53:0414thJunior team68 ptsWorld Junior ChampionshipsGrosseto, Italy22nd10,000 m51:42.952005Pan American Race Walking Cup (U20)Lima, Peru2nd10 km48:034thJunior team19 ptsPan American Junior ChampionshipsWindsor, Ontario, Canada3rd10,000 m49:43.852006NACAC U-23 ChampionshipsSanto Domingo, Dominican Republic5th10,000 m walk52:26.002007Pan American Race Walking CupBalneário Camboriú, Brazil19th20 km1:53:554thTeam45 ptsNACAC ChampionshipsSan Salvador, El Salvador7th10,000 m59:00.372008World Race Walking CupCheboksary, Russia66th20 km1:45:0215thTeam190 pts2009Pan American Race Walking CupSan Salvador, El Salvador13th20 km1:50:213rdTeam39 pts2011World ChampionshipsDaegu, South Korea29th20 km1:38:54Pan American GamesGuadalajara, Mexico9th20 km1:38:47 2012Olympic GamesLondon, United Kingdom29th20 km1:32:272013World ChampionshipsMoscow, Russia33rd20 km1:33:512014World Race Walking CupTaicang, China30th20 km1:30:4912thTeam167 pts2015Pan American Race Walking CupArica, Chile5th20 km1:34:063rdTeam35 ptsWorld Championships Beijing, China20th20 km1:33:242016Olympic GamesRio de Janeiro, Brazil22nd20 km1:33:412018NACAC ChampionshipsToronto, Canada1st20,000 m1:36:34 CR20192019 World Athletics ChampionshipsDoha, Qatar35th20 km1:46:022022World ChampionshipsEugene, United States22nd35 km2:58:51 NACAC ChampionshipsFreeport, Bahamas3rd20 km1:42:14.32
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