Women’s 5K Power Walk Starting Roster & Pre-Race Analysis for 2023 National Senior Games

More than 100 women ages 50 or better have signed up for the 2023 National Senior Games 5K power walk! Check out my quick-to-read analysis of each age group’s race, too.

The walk takes place on Friday, July 7 at Highmark Stadium in Pittsburgh. The first race starts at 8:40 a.m. EDT for the 65 and higher age groups. The second race takes place at 10:20 a.m. for the other age groups. Start times will vary, based upon the conclusion of the previous women’s and men’s races. Several of these competitors will have been in the 5K race walk that started at 7 a.m.

How to the Women’s 5K Power Walk Starting Roster is Organized

1. The roster is first organized by five-year age groups, beginning with 50-54.
2. Athletes are listed in alphabetical order by last name.
3. State names are abbreviated.
4. Competitors doing all race walk and power walk contests are noted with this ⊗ circle-times symbol.
5. Names and times appearing in bold text denote National Senior Games record holders.
6. Remarkable efforts are highlighted in bolded red text.
7. The athlete’s past 5K power walk in the events below are listed by the walker’s age group, order of finish, and finishing time:

• • 2019 National Senior Games (June 14-25, Albuquerque, NM) in non-bolded green
  • 2022 National Senior Games (May 10-23, Fort Lauderdale, FL) in non-bolded blue
  • 2022 Huntsman World Senior Games (Oct. 3 – 15, St. George, UT) in non-bolded orange

Stay tuned for complete race results and highlights!

W50-54

1. BARTON-MURTAGH, Micheal MS
2. BENT, FAYE (Barbados) – w50 5th | 39:59.65 / w50 3rd | 40:00.72 
3. EVERARD, Andrea DE ⊗ – (5K race walk: w50 2nd | 37:48.60)
4. GALEN, Renee IN
5. HYDE, Lori MO
6. WEBB, Lisa GA

Veteran Faye Bent will face fellow competitor Andrea Everard who will have completed the 5K race walk about  an hour before the 5K power walk. Plenty of new faces to keep this age group as one to watch.

W55-59

1. ABSEY, Julie CA
2. ACEVEDO, Allison PA – w55 4th | 37:01.76
3. ARNOLD, Sandi WY
4. BAKER-NOREN, Sylvia KY ⊗
5. BUFE, Gina MO ⊗ – w50 11th | 45:03.86 / w55 8th | 46:28.16
6. FENZL, Lucy WI
7. HANSBROUGH, Valerie IL
8. HNATYK, Roxanne MI
9. LAMOUREUX, Janet FL – w55 2nd | 35:22.03 / w55 2nd | 33:30.9 # <– she finished ahead of the previous record + improved from 2019 time!
10. LINDSEY, Carrie TX
11. McCOY, Mariya KY
12. McWILLIAMS, Melinda MD
13. MINIX, Vera LA – w50 2nd | 36:31.41 / w50 1st | 37:28.74
14. OWENS, Mandy NM – w50 1st | 32:56.97 # / w55 1st | 33:14.57 # <– consecutive record-setting efforts in 2 age groups!
15. ROBINSON, Francine NC
16. SCHANLABER, Jackie NH
17. SHIELDS, LaTrice OH – w55 7th | 44:49.82
18. VANCE, Sandra TN ⊗ – w55 16th | 52:28.24 / w55 9th | 1:00:38.25
19. WHITE, Regina FL

My money is on Mandy Owens to dominate this age group! She set records in the 1500 meter and 5K power races in 2019 and repeated her record-setting ways in 2022 in this age group. She’ll face several returning contenders such as Janet Lamoureux who finished behind Mandy by about 16 seconds last year. Just as the last two National Senior Games, Sandra Vance will show her endurance skills by racing in all distances in the power walk and race walk.

W60-64

1. ABSEY, Anne CA
2. ANDERSON, Roberta MI – w55 6th | 37:07.78
3. APPLEBY, Lisa PA ⊗
4. BANKOLE, Kelly MN
5. BOLT, Jodie WA
6. BYRD, Maureen TN – w60 10th | 43:19.03
7. COLEMAN, Delise GA
8. COYLE, Jaculin WI ⊗ – w55 7th | 37:07.78
   
9. FREET, Sam PA ⊗
10. GUAN, Alice VA ⊗
11. HENRY, Jeanne PA
12. HOWARD, Teresa NC – w60 3rd | 36:50.99
13. JACKSON, Angela (Barbados) – w55 2nd | 36:42
14. JOJOLA, Shirley NM – w60 11th | 46:19.40
15. JONES, Nannette OK – w55 5th | 36:57.31 / w60 7th | 39:45.87
16. LIMON, Susana MD
17. MILAVEC, Jayne NM – w55 3rd | 35:41.26 / w60 1st | 36:01.59
18. MURRAY, Diana MD – w60 14th | 1:00:38.28
19. OGAR LAWRENCE, Helen IL
20. ORSAG, Lana OH
21. PALMER, Ginger CT ⊗
22. RUPPRECHT, Beth NC – w55 4th | 36:39.37 / w60 6th | 39:17.50
23. SMITH, Evelyn IL ⊗ – w60 8th | 40:37.32
24. USELTON, Penelope TN
25. YU, Beth MD

Jayne Milavec is the one to watch in this age group. She won last year after setting a 1500-meter power walk record of 9:55.20! I’m very happy to see Roberta Anderson returning for the 2023 5K power walk. I spoke with her in 2019 in Albuquerque (watch “National Senior Games Post Race Interviews…” YouTube video) after she  edged out Jaculin Coyle for 6th.

W65-69

1. ABSEY, Jennifer CA
2. BAKER, Vicki OK
3. BECKLES, Beverley (Barbados) – w60 12th | 40:09.01 / w65 2nd | 37:23.14 <– she finished ahead of her previous time!
4. BOLLE, Debra NC
5. BRADLEY, Patricia VA
6. CRAIG, Kathleen AL – w65 12th | 47:26.40
7. DATO, Virginia PA
8. FETHEROLF, Sandy CA
9. FLETCHER, Bitsy TX – w60 2nd | 37:53
10. GOOD, Katherine VA
11. HAMBLIN, Martha NC
12. HEGSTROM, Ann IA ⊗ – w60 3rd | 36:29.41 / w65 1st | 36:12.44 <– she finished ahead of her previous time!
13. HOW, Rhoda KY
14. IVERSON, Kathy OH – w65 13th | 47:41.83
15. JARZOMBEK, Debbie TX – w60 1st | 37:37
16. JOHNSON, Debra GA – w65 6th | 39:45.73
17. JONES, Janet TX
18. LUND, Bodil VA – w65 7th | 39:50.91
19. LYNCH, Mary PA
20. MILNER, Margaret ME ⊗ –
21. MYERS, Helene MD
22. OBERT, Sherry PA ⊗
23. PAULSON, Susan MN
24. PILKINGTON, Beverly OK – w65 10th | 43:12.87
25. RAY, Leigh TN
26. SILVA, Virginia NM
27. SMITH-KELLER, Keley SD
28. STOLTENBERG, Patricia IL
29. VILLARREAL, Olga TX

The age group with the most entrants also has several returning competitors. Ann Hegstrom will defend her 2022 championship though Beverly Beckles (and others) will do their best to take that gold medal. Who will be the spoiler among the new competitors?!

W70-74

1. BRYANT-MASON, Mary GA – w65 8th | 41:11.90
2. CECCHI-EWING, Elizabeth CA
3. CUNNINGHAM, Susan TN – w65 11th | 44:39.30
4. DUFFY, Beth MN
5. GOLDSTEIN, Rebecca CT
6. GOODWILL, Monica PA
7. HARRELL, Ruth NC
8. HOLDER, Angela (Barbados)
9. HOLSTAD, Marcia GA – w70 6th | 39:08.39
10. KOENIGSKNECHT, Darlene MI
11. LAWS, Sherryl MO
12. MacPHERSON, Cynthia MO
13. McDERMOTT, Karen NY
14. McLEOD, Cathy OH ⊗ – w70 1st | 37:46.21 # / w70 5th | 38:42.62
15. McMAHON, Nancy OR
16. MULLIS-DUBOW, Trenice GA ⊗ – w65 2nd | 37:47
17. MURPHY, Pamela PA
18. NEDZBALA, Hannah NH
19. O’BRIEN, Sandra WI
20. PIECHOTA, Sue FL – w65 3rd | 36:14.42 / w70 3rd | 36:46.87 # <– finished ahead of prior record!
21. STROSS, Karen OH – w65 9th | 42:00.54 / w65 3rd | 38:32.49
22. TRIANDAFILOU, Mary MD
23. WILDMAN, Cindy OH – w65 4th | 36:34.91 / w70 1st | 35:29.78 # <– set new record + ahead of her previous time!
24. WITT, Judith VA – w70 4th | 40:32.58 

Yet another age group with strong walkers. Cindy Wildman returns to defend her gold medal and record time. Sue Piechota will be chasing to improve on her past results. Cathy McLeod and other women will jockey for top places and to achieve personal bests.

W75-79

1. AGRONIS, Ellen OK
2. BERG, Marilyn MA
3. CHAMPION, Margaret OH – w70 8th | 44:46.52 / w75 7th | 44:09.71
4. CHAPMAN, Sarah IN
5. CHEN, Ying OH
6. CROOKENDALE, Gloria (Barbados) – w70 7th | 42:52.67
7. DE ROSIER, Eugénie MN
8. HUCZEK, Sharon MI – w70 4th | 37:51.69 / w70 2nd | 37:47
9. McKELVEY, Pamela CO – w70 2nd | 35:31.71 #  / w70 1st | 34:32 <– finished ahead of 2019 record + improved on that time!
10. ROLFES, Carol TN – w70 2nd | 39:15.63 / w75 4th | 40:18.07 #
11. SCHNEIDER, Alice OH ⊗ – w75 5th | 42:25.82

I know Sharon Huczek, a past gold medalist at the Huntsman World Senior Games, is seeking that coveted win. Pamela McKelvey use all her race experience to keep herself in position to repeat her win.  

W80-84

1. BOGART, Barbara TN
2. DEMSKY, Ellen CA
3. HURST, Patricia NY – w80 2nd | 55:07.56
4. JACKOBS, Miriam OH ⊗ – w75 4th | 41:49.66 
5. STAAB, Angela NC

Will Barbara Bogart, a nationally ranked triathlete, upset this field of strong walkers? Not if Miriam Jackobs walks her race! I’ll also be watching Barbara in her upcoming cycling and triathlon events.

W85-89

1. EVERSON, Ruth IN – w80 1st | 43:53.76
2. LEE, Youngja MD – w80 1st | 42:40.89 # / w85 1st | 44:56.53 #
3. PENDERGRAFT, Eleanor TN – w85 3rd | 55:06.32 (2023 will be her 7th National Senior Games!)
4. POISNER, Sharon KS
5. SMITH, Audrey FL

Will Youngja Lee fend off Ruth Everson who is “aging up” in the 5K? My money is on Ruth because she shattered Younga’s 2019 1500-meter power walk record and finished nearly one minute ahead in the 5K while in w80. Eleanor Pendergraft is slated to appear in her seventh National Senior Games. Read my interview with her here on Slowpoke Divas. This promises to be a strong race!

Stay tuned for my post on this race’s results!

SOURCES: National Senior Games and Huntsman World Senior Games results pages. Visit those sites for more information including how to participate.

Please let us know if any corrections or updates to this page are needed. Thank you!