Race-Walker Blazes Trail for Women

She’s been compared to some of the biggest names in women’s sports: Michelle Wie, Danica Patrick, and Billie Jean King. Women, who had the desire to compete with men. Erin Taylor-Talcott just wants to compete in her desired sport.

“How can these men who are in these races say to their daughters, ‘You can grow up to be anything you want, except be like Daddy,” said Taylor-Talcott.

Taylor-Talcott competes in race-walking, an Olympic sport for men and women. She recently became the first woman to qualify and compete for a men’s track and field event at the Olympic trials last month. She would prefer a women’s version of the race over the distinction.

“I’d rather not be able to say that, because I’d rather to be able to make it at the 50 kilometers for the women’s event,” said Taylor-Talcott.

Currently, the Olympics only offers a 20 K for women, making the longer, more grueling 50 K exclusive for the men. She’s not the only one who can’t believe the event doesn’t exist.

“It amazes me that it has come to this, it’s like we’re back in the days when people thought, women can’t do marathons, and the first woman that did Boston had to masquerade as a guy,” said 83-year-old and long time race-walker Jack Starr.

The fairly unknown sport requires walkers to make contact with the ground with their knee straight and keep one foot on the ground at all times. Long races like the 50 K, with the unique movement test an athlete’s endurance and strength. Thing that Taylor-Talcott says women excel at.

“I do know that there have been studies that say women can endure more pain than men and when you’re doing an extreme endurance event, you’re basically talking about how much pain you can endure,” said Taylor-Talcott.

Not only does she hold the distinction of their first woman to compete in a men’s Olympic trials, she and her husband, Dave, became the first husband-wife pair to toe the starting line at an event.

“He’s so supportive and loving and he’s there,” said Taylor-Talcott. “You know those days that you’re tired and you don’t want to get out of bed, he’s there to give me a kick in the rump to get me going.”

Her husband isn’t the only one who’s given her tremendous support. Since her story came out, she’s received letters and e-mails of encouragement from women all over the world. However, not all the feedback is positive. There are people who aren’t ready for her to enter their world of competition.

“We don’t want you, we don’t think you should be here,” said Taylor-Talcott. This is a men’s event and obviously if a woman can make our standard, then obviously our standard isn’t tough enough.”

She passed that standard and several men along the way at the trials. Her time earned her a spot on the men’s World Cup team who will compete in Russia in May, another major victory for her and women.

“If I can pave the way for girls and women to have the same opportunities that guys have then absolutely I will fight as hard as I can,” said Taylor-Talcott.

She is still waiting for approval from the U.S. Track and Field Association to see if she can compete in May.