Award Winning Smile Award winning smile: Lauren Forgues, a junior at Boothbay Region High School, shows off her award for capturing the bronze medal at the Pan-American Games racewalking qualifying meet.

Lauren Forgues has come one major step closer to attaining the goal by capturing a spot on the U.S. Pan American Racewalk Team.

Forgues secured her spot on the team roster by finishing third at the USA Team Trials-Pan American Cup of Racewalking held at Hauppauge, New York on Sunday, April 3. In early May, Forgues will travel to Lima, Peru with her teammates to compete against the finest racewalkers in the western hemisphere at the Pan American Games on May 8. 2005 is shaping up to be a momentous year for Forgues. On March 12, competing in the Nike Indoor National Track and Field Championships in Landover, Maryland, she finished third (in a field of 24), set a personal best time, and was awarded Nike All-American status. The following day, Forgues established another personal best time in the mile racewalk, finished fourth and scored another All-American distinction at the National Scholastic Indoor National Championships in New York City.

Forgues' best racewalking performance to date occurred on the rain-and wind-swept 2.5 km. course of the U.S. Team Trials. Competing against a field of 17 of the best North American junior racewalkers (ages 14-19), Forgues blazed to a new personal 10 kilometer racewalking best time of 55:20. Upon finishing third among the American competitors and sixth overall (the field included the finest junior walkers from Canada and Puerto Rico), Forgues was immediately taken aside, told the good news of making the team and was administered the required IAFF drug test.

Awaiting Forgues' triumphant finish were her parents Linda and Mike, grandmother, younger brother Matthew (a racewalker) and family dog

"Officially," Forgues said, "this was the first 10K I have ever raced. It was the longest and hardest race distance wise for me. I really had to build up my muscles during my training.

"I liked the 10K course on Long Island since it was only four laps around rather than the indoor track's 26 laps. The 10K distance is easier for me to catch up to competitors."

There was no catching top finisher and local favorite Maria Michta of Nesconset, New York and nearby C.W. Post College. Michta demolished two U.S. junior records with a 10K time of 48:15. Forgues did close the distance on the junior U.S. one-mile racewalking holder and second place finisher Katie Hayes of Oconomowoc, Wisconsin.

"Most of the coaching I've received is from my Dad," Forgues said, "and his coaching has been great."

Forgues began race walking at age eight with a Wiscasset track program with her Dad's encouragement. "She has always been goal oriented and we set piecemeal goals at each of the 2.5K laps in this 10K competition of where we wanted to be," said Mike Forgues.

"She wants to be an Olympian and she is one of the best junior women in the country. This is one of the major steps along the way. "Additionally, we are proud of her for her off-track accomplishments as well as she is a member of the National Honor Society and is very involved in community service."

Forgues acknowledged that she has received significant racewalking coaching assistance and guidance from Dr. Thomas Easler, a professor of natural sciences at the University of Maine at Farmington and the primary catalyst and supporter of Maine's remarkably strong junior racewalking programs.

Easler was instrumental in establishing racewalking as a track and field event for high school girls and boys in Maine during the early 1990s, said "Lauren is one of the most promising junior racewalkers Maine has ever produced. She competes with gusto, is very goal-oriented and no one is easier to coach. She keeps exceeding expectations and we'll continue to see her breaking new ground in the future. Lauren most certainly will have one or two full athletic college scholarships offered her due to her racewalking accomplishments."

Since Eastler brought racewalking to Maine 15 years ago, the state has developed a reputation for being one of the sport's national hot-beds. Over the past 12 years, 35 Maine high school racewalkers from 21 high schools have earned an impressive 112 All-American track and field distinctions.

"A Maine high school track and field athlete stands a far better chance of high achievement in college and the Olympics in racewalking than in any of the other 16 track and field events. There are currently six Mainers on full racewalking scholarships at the University of Wisconsin at Parkside," said Eastler.

Following Forgues' participation in the Pan American games in May, she will continue her training in preparation for the USA Junior National Track Team tryouts held in California in late June. Reporter Daniel Fayen can be reached at 633-4620 or danielemmett@yahoo.com.