Farmington native Eastler captures gold

PALMETTO BAY, Fla. – U.S. Air Force Capt. Kevin Eastler, formerly of Farmington and now residing in Aurora, Colo., won the gold medal Saturday in the 20-kilometer Pan American Racewalk Cup qualifying trials held at the Old Cutler Road Course on Saturday.

Eastler edged training partner and two-time Olympian Tim Seaman to win the 12.4-mile event in 1 hour, 24 minutes and 12 seconds. Seaman was next in 1:24:21. Both times were under the Olympic “B” qualifying standard, and thus both Eastler and Seaman are qualified to race in the 20K at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.

Eastler already had achieved the Olympic “B” standard in the 50-kilometer race walk when he won the USATF in Chula Vista, Calif., in late January.

University of Maine freshman Lauren Forgues of Boothbay won the women’s junior 10K division at the same event, finishing in a personal-best time for the 6.2-mile distance of 50:35.

Eastler and Forgues will compete in he Pan American Racewalk Cup to be held in April in Balneario Camboriu, Brazil.