Nationally ranked athletes bring race walking to MBU

Rother, a sophomore, won the 3,000 meter race walk with a time of 19:05. Chavez, however, not only won his race, but finished three minutes ahead of the nearest competitor. The Texas native not only set a personal best, but blew away the "A" qualifying standard of 14:00 by finishing with a time of 12:55.

This was track's first national qualifier of the indoor season. While at the meet, Chavez was also presented with the third-place point award trophy for the USA Track and Field Grand Prix Series, which was held throughout 2011.??

Both students will head to South Texas for a USA Track and Field Elite training camp with MBU Coach Patricia Hanna for Christmas break. Rother is eyeing the indoor qualifying standard while Chavez will focus on the 10K World Race Walk Cup Trials in Eugene, Oregon on April 1. A top-three finish there will allow him to compete with the U.S. Junior and Senior Team in Saransk, Russia.

Missouri Baptist University is a Christ-centered university located in Saint Louis. MBU offers more than 40 undergraduate degrees, graduate degrees in education, business and religion and its new terminal degree, the Doctor of Education. In addition to its 66-acre West St. Louis County campus, MBU offers degree programs at nine regional learning centers throughout St. Louis and in Southern Illinois and online. For more information, go to http://www.mobap.edu or call 1- 877-434-1115.

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