Eastler named Zinn Racewalker of the Year

U.S. Air Force Capt. Kevin Eastler of Aurora, Colo., a native of Farmington and a graduate of Mt. Blue High School, has been named the Capt. Ron Zinn Memorial Racewalker of the Year for the second time in his career.

Eastler smashed the U.S. record in the 30-kilometer race walk in January and followed that by winning the 20K national championship in June and the one-hour national championship in October.

He also became the first U.S. walker ever named as IAAF athlete of the month.

Eastler recently returned to Colorado after training in Germany for next month’s 50K national championship to be held in Chula Vista, Calif. He has never competed at the 50-kilometer (31-mile) distance, but will be attempting to break the IAAF Olympic “A” standard qualifying time of 4 hours.

Eastler also won the Zinn award in 2003.