In 2019, Stevens won the U.S. 50 kilometer race walk championship, and repeated her win on January 25, 2020, in Santee, California, with a time of 4:37:31, leading from start to finish and winning by over 9 1/2 minutes.[4] On February 2, she won the Utah indoor 3000 meters race walk.[4] At the Millrose Games indoor mile in New York City on February 8, 2020, after an absence of 19 years, Stevens led for over half the race. She was passed by Ohio high school star Taylor Ewert who won in 6:34:63, and Lauren Harris, second in 6:39.31, with Stevens finishing third in 6:41:30.[4]
Stevens won the 2020 USA Olympic Trial 20k race walk event in Eugene, Oregon, finishing in 1:35.13, over four minutes ahead of the second-place finisher.[5] Stevens' boyfriend Nick Christie won the men's 20k at the same meet.[5]
Stevens went on to compete in the delayed 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo in 2021, where she finished in 33rd place out of a field of 58 athletes.[6] At the 2022 World Athletics Championships Stevens finished the 20 km race walking competition in 24th place.[7]
Sexual abuse by former coach
Stevens said she was repeatedly raped by her former coach, Andreas “Dre” Gustafsson of Sweden, for over two and a half years starting in February 2017.[8] Concerned that he was victimizing other female athletes, she filed a complaint with the U.S. Center for SafeSport in late 2020.[8] In August 2022, SafeSport provisionally suspended Gustafsson for “sexual misconduct.”[8] USA Track & Field told its members that Gustafsson was prohibited “from participating, in any capacity, in any event, program, activity, or competition authorized by, organized by or under the auspices of the USOPC, the National Governing Bodies recognized by the USOPC, a Local Affiliated Organization ... or at a facility under the jurisdiction of the same.”[8] Gustafsson confirmed that he had consensual sex with Stevens multiple times while still married to his wife, but said it was consensual and "... she loved the sex we had together. She loved it. So, you know, her coming up a victim later on, that’s on her.”[8]
* From 1973 to 1979, events were conducted by the Amateur Athletic Union. Events from 1980 to 1992 were conducted under The Athletics Congress. Events thereafter were conducted by USA Track & Field. 2 miles walk was contested in 2015 and 2017 in place of 3000 m walk.
