Maine news, sports, weather | Kennebec Journal, Augusta, Maine

TRACK AND FIELD

Walking Tall

Vincent earns spot on junior national team

By Bill Stewart bstewart@centralmaine.com
Staff Writer

There were times, Evan Vincent admits, when he thought about bending his knees, kicking up his heels and sprinting after the leaders.

click image to enlarge

WALK THIS WAY: Evan Vincent, who will be a senior at Maranacook Community High School, earned a spot on the U.S. Junior National Team thanks to a sixth-place finish in the 10,000-meter racewalk at the USA Junior Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Des Moines, Iowa, late last month.

Joe Phelan

Select images available for purchase in the
Maine Today Photo Store

EVAN VINCENT

Age: 18
Hometown: Manchester
School: Maranacook Community High School
Of note: Vincent earned a spot on the U.S. Junior National team with a top-six finish in the racewalk at the USA Junior Outdoor Track & Field Championships last month in Des Moines, Iowa.

"At the beginning yes," he says. "It was awkward at first."

But racewalking is far from awkward now for the 18-year-old Vincent, who's quietly shined in the event at not just the state level, but nationally as well.

Vincent, who will be a senior at Maranacook Community High School, earned a spot on the U.S. Junior National Team thanks to a sixth-place finish in the 10,000-meter racewalk at the USA Junior Outdoor Track & Field Championships late last month in Des Moines, Iowa.

The top six finishers in each event at the meet earned spots on the junior national team, which is open to athletes ages 14 through 19.

"I couldn't believe it," Vincent says. "I never thought I'd go this far."

It's certainly been a whirlwind summer for Vincent, who also competed in the New Balance Outdoor Nationals in Greensboro, N.C.

Vincent and a contingent of Maine athletes ventured to North Carolina for the outdoor nationals in the middle of June. Vincent, under the watchful eyes of coach Tom Eastler, competed in the 1,600-meter racewalk.

"I didn't get my best time," Vincent says. "I was hoping for under seven (minutes) and I got a 7:10."

The time was good enough for victory.

After North Carolina, Vincent headed out to Iowa for the Junior Nationals, in which he qualified by walking a 3-kilometer race in less than 15 minutes in December.

It was the second consecutive year Vincent competed in the Junior Nationals -- he finished seventh in the racewalk last year and was named an alternate to the national team.

"I set my goal to get sixth," Vincent says. "I also wanted to break 50 minutes. I got a 50:24, so almost. I wasn't close to anyone in the race. I set a goal of 50 minutes but in the middle of the race I didn't think I'd get close to it because I started to slow down. But I got back in it and I was happy with my time in the end. It was one of the better times I ever had."

Adds Eastler, a Farmington native who trains Maine race walkers: "He walked a great race. He's in really good company."

Indeed, the junior champ is Trevor Barron, a 16-year-old from New York. Barron finished the 10-kilometer race in 42:58.62. Matthew Forgues, of Boothbay Harbor, was third in 47:45.51.

So what does the future hold for Vincent in the sport?

"I want to keep doing it for fun," he says. "I might try to do some open stuff. I'd have to put a lot of work into it, but at the very least I'll keep trying it for fun. Sometimes I do wonder how good I can be, but I have to wait and see. I don't want to make any plans until I see all my options."

Eastler, whose son, Kevin, was a U.S. Olympian in the racewalk, says Vincent is only beginning to develop.

"If he stays with it, the future will be the U.S. National team and Olympic trials," he says. "He still has a few years. He doesn't have to decide anything until he turns 20. Then, if he wants to get serious, there is no question he can be in the trials. Making the Olympics? Well, you can't predict that. Everyone has a limit to what he can do and we don't know what his is yet. But he trains smart and is very, very talented."

Next up for Vincent is a dual meet July 30 at the University of Toronto with the Canadian Junior National Team.

From there, Vincent says he'll focus on the cross country season at Maranacook.

"I'll take a break for cross country," he says. "I might do another big race in October, but we'll see. I'm just going to continue my training."

His training includes speed and distance work several nights a week. He also spends time on a track working on proper form.

Vincent works with Eastler and Maranacook assistant coach Mark Dennett.

"At first I used to think about running, but now that I've got to used to doing it I would have a hard time to start running," Vincent says. "I am into a rhythm now."

Dennett, a 2003 Winthrop High School graduate, once trained under Eastler in the racewalk as well. Dennett says he and Eastler coordinate Vincent's workouts.

"Whatever we give him he does it," Dennett said. "He gets some crazy workouts and he does it. He just wants to improve."

This spring Vincent finished second to Forgues in the 1,600 racewalk at the Class C meet. Vincent finished the race in 7:00.19 while Forgues took the title in 6:37.44. Forgues graduated from Boothbay and will attend Ashford University in Clinton, Iowa, in the fall.

Like Forgues, Vincent hopes to compete at the collegiate level. Vincent says he isn't sure where he would like to go after graduating from Maranacook.

Vincent, who also cross country skis, will serve as captain for the Maranacook track and field team next spring, coach Ronn Gifford said.

"Evan is an insane worker," Gifford says. "He came out for track as a freshman and didn't know exactly what he would do, but he picked up racewalking and just loved it. He's incredibly motivated. He also put in the miles and effort, and it's paying off."

Bill Stewart -- 623-3811, ext. 515

bstewart@centralmaine.com