Sholomitska participating in 10,000-meter racewalk, with Petryk competing in 1,500 final, as exemptions are granted for non-American entries in order to provide opportunities to qualify for World Under-20 Championships in Colombia

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

EUGENE, Ore. – Before she steps on the starting line Friday for the 10,000-meter racewalk at the USATF U20 Championships, Valeriya Sholomitska understands the magnitude of what it means for a Ukrainian athlete to be racing anywhere in the world right now.

Yuliya Petryk knows there isn’t a better place to be pursuing her next racing opportunity in the 1,500 meters than in Saturday’s final at Hayward Field.

For the first time in American history, two athletes from outside the country will be allowed to compete in an outdoor national championship meet, when Sholomitska and Petryk participate as invited guests of USATF in search of qualifying marks to race again Aug. 1-6 at the World Under-20 Championships in Cali, Colombia.

The last time competitors of any age from outside the U.S. were given permission to compete at a national championship event was at an indoor final in the early 1990s.

But an exception was granted for both athletes as a result of a necessity to have opportunities to qualify for the World Under-20 Championships, since neither individual has competed anywhere in more than three months after being forced to flee the country at the outset of the war with Russia.

Sholomitska, 17, hasn’t raced since March, competing for Ukraine at the World Racewalking Team Championships in Oman.

She boasts a 10-kilometer road personal-best effort of 46:09 and a 10,000-meter track mark of 46:20.91, both achieved last year, requiring her to produce a mark in Friday’s final of 50:40 or faster in order to represent Ukraine in Colombia.

Among the American racewalk entries, Angelica Harris of South Elgin High in Illinois, representing the South Elgin Sharks, has the fastest 10,000-meter performance this year at 50:44.37 from February.

Petryk, 18, hasn’t competed since clocking 4:28.55 in the 1,500 at the Balkan Under-20 Indoor Championships in February in Serbia.

Although the World Under-20 standard is 4:29.00, Petryk is one of four Ukrainian athletes in contention to earn the two selections to represent the country in Colombia, including 18-year-old Tetiana Chornovol, who ran 4:22.29 on June 11 in Italy to take over the top spot among the competitors in consideration.

The fastest entry among the American athletes in the 1,500 final is University of Virginia freshman Mia Barnett at 4:11.32.

Sholomitska and Petryk have been traveling with coach and guardian Olena Borysiuk, 31, since March, visiting Oman, Turkey and Italy, before returning to Ukraine for six days, only to travel again to Turkey and then eventually arrive June 12 in the United States.

Borysiuk and her athletes have been living in Colorado Springs with American racewalk professionals Dave Talcott and Erin Taylor-Talcott, before visiting Eugene this week and staying with local residents Maureen Pollock and Goetz Klopher.

Tracy Sundlun, an inductee into the Officials Hall of Fame by USATF New York as well as the Track and Field Director for USATF San Diego who also works with Competitor Group, Inc., and the National Scholastic Athletics Foundation, was instrumental in USATF allowing Petryk and Sholomitska to participate in the USATF U20 Championships. 

Following competition at Hayward Field, Sholomitska, Petryk and Borysiuk are expected to return next week to Colorado Springs.