PRs: 20 km 1:23:34 (1999); 50 km 3:48:04 AR (1999)

Career Highlights

1999 World Championships 50 km bronze medalist; 2000, 2004 Olympic Trials 50 km champion, 3-time Olympian; 7-time U.S. 50 km and four-time 20 km champion; 2005 USA 30 km champion; 2005 USA Indoor runner-up; 2005 USA 50 km champion;

Despite starting law school, Clausen remained Americas top distance walker in 2005 winning national titles at 50 km and 30 km. Clausen was once again Americas top 50 km race walker in 2004. He won the 2004 U.S. Olympic Trials 50 km, and his seasonal best of 3:58:24 was his fastest time since walking 3:50:46 back in 2001. Clausen is now training part-time while he pursues his law degree full-time at the University of Wisconsin. After finishing fourth in the 50 km race walk at the 1999 World Outdoor Championships, Clausen was awarded the bronze medal two years after finishing his race, when it was announced that gold medalist German Skurygin tested positive for the banned substance human chorionic gonadotropin. When Skurygin was stripped of his world title, Clausen moved from fourth to third. It was the first race walk medal for an American in a World Champs or Olympics since Larry Young won the 50km bronze at the 1972 Munich Olympics. Clausen, who graduated in the same high school class as miler Suzy Favor Hamilton, ran cross country and track in high school, running in the 4:30s for the mile. After finishing as a surprise winner at the Olympic Trials in 1996, Clausen realized he needed to improve to be competitive with the worlds best: After making Atlanta in 1996, I realized I was far from being competitive with the rest of the world. I wasn't satisfied. I made a resolution that I needed to do everything possible to be competitive for 2000. Sports Illustrated ran a feature on his adoption and helped turn up his half-sister. He moved to the ARCO Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, Calif., in July 1997. Has a masters degree in public administration from Duke University appeared in an episode of the FOX sitcom "Malcolm in the Middle" on January 5, 2003. Clausen served as technical adviser for the race walk-oriented episode, as well as appearing as an extra.

2007: 5th at USA 50 km Champs (4:27:41)...11th at Pan American RW Cup (4:40:27)...ranked #6 in U.S. by T&FN...best of 4:27:41.
2006: Did not compete.
2005: USA 30km champion (2:28:00)...USA Indoor runner-up (20:41.33)USA 50 km champion (4:09.35)...ranked #1 at 50 km in U.S. by T&FN...best of 4:09:35.
2004: Won Olympic Trials 50 km race walk on Feb. 15 (3:58:24) in Chula Vista, Calif; 32nd at 50 km at Olympic Games (4:11:31); ranked #1 U.S. at 50 km, #3 U.S. at 20 km by T&FN; bests of 1:24:18 & 3:58.24
2003: 3rd at USA Indoors 5000m walk (20:38.34)Won U.S. titles in 50 km (4:29:32), 10 km (43:57), 2 hours (26,425m), 30 km (2:15:56), 15 km (1:06:22) and 40 km (3:25:28)4th at USA Outdoors 20 km (1:26:30)DQ at World Outdoor Champs 50 km1st in 50 km at Hauppauge, N.Y. (4:08:36)15th at Pan American Race Walk Cup 20 km (1:30:45) ranked #4 at 20 km, #2 at 50 km in U.S. by T&FNbests of 1:26:30 & 4:08:36.
2002: USA 50 km champion (3:58:55)5th at USA 20 km (1:29:32.22)dnf at USA Indoors2nd at USA 10 km (42:20)did not finish at IAAF World Cup 50 kmranked #5 at 20 km, #2 at 50 km in U.S. by T&FNbests of 1:29:32.22 & 3:58:55.
2001: 1st at USA 20 km (1:24.50)7th at World Outdoors (3:50.46)2nd at USA 50 km (4:06.14)2nd at USA Indoor 5 km (19:43.34)ranked #7 in world at 50km & #1 in U.S. in 20 kmand 50 km by T&FNbests of 1:24.50 & 3:50.46.
2000: Won Olympic Trials 50 km walk on Feb. 13 (3:56:16) in Sacramento...placed 22nd at Olympics in 3:58:39...ranked #1 at 50 km, #2 at 20 km in U.S...bests of 1:23:55.77 and 3:56:16.
1999: Bronze medalist at World Champs 50 km (3:50:55)... won USA Outdoor 20 km (1:23:34) and 50k titles... 6th in Pan Am 20 km...second at USA Indoors 5 km... twice broke American record for 50-kilometers event (3:54:38 on Feb. 14 and 3:48:04 on May 2)... ranked #4 in world (#1 U.S.) and #1 in 20k in U.S. by T&FN...bests of 1:23:34 and 3:48:04.
1998: Won USA 50 km Champs (3:57:24)...2nd in 5km at USA Indoors (20:29.16)... 2nd in 20km at USA Outdoors (1:35:41.8)... 6th in 20 km (1:37:55.8) at Goodwill Games...10th in Pan Am Cup... ranked #1 U.S. at 20 km and 50 km by T&FN...bests of 1:23:58 and 3:57:24.
1997: Won USA Outdoors (1:27:11.88)...34th in World Champs (1:32:05)...4th in 5 km at USA Indoors (20:44.74)...60th in World Cup... ranked #1 U.S. by T&FN...best of 1:24:41.
1996: Won Olympic Trials 20km (1:29:50)...50th in Olympic Games (1:31:30)...3rd in USA Indoor 5 km (20:17.96)... ranked #1 U.S. by T&FN...best of 1:25:41.
1995: 5th at USA Outdoors (1:29:20.6)...13th at World University Games (1:30:39)...ranked #5 U.S. by T&FN...best of 1:29:21.
1994: 12th in 5 km at USA Indoors...best of 1:33:21.
1993: 5th in USA Outdoors...9th in World University Games...ranked #7 U.S. by T&FN...best of 1:32:18.
1992: Did not compete while finishing masters degree.
1991: 6th in USA Outdoors...ranked #8 U.S. by T&FN...best of 1:31:09.
1990: 7th in USA 50 km Champs...ranked #7 U.S. at 50 km by T&FN...best of 1:30:17.
1989: 8th at USA Outdoors...best of 1:33:53.
1988: 15th in 50 km at Olympic Trials... 5th at USA Outdoors...best of 1:34:32.
1987: Best of 1:35:34.
1986: Won USA Junior 10 km...28th in World Junior 10 km...20k best of 1:37:05.

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