When Amber Antonia headed to college she had no interest in race walking. She was quite an accomplished runner and intended to run cross country and track during her tenure at the University of Wisconsin - Parkside. Unfortunately, she developed a stress fracture in her foot, so she took up race walking to stay in shape. She hopped in a 1500M race and finished 2nd in a little over 7 minutes.

Upon the suggestion of her coach, Antonia decided to try to qualify for the 2000 Olympic Trials in the 20K race walk. At the last minute she entered a 20K with other would-be qualifiers. Antonia walked a minute and change under the 1:48 standard required to enter the Trials, where she competed without any intention of making the Olympic team. She remembers it was "the coolest thing just being there."

The experience inspired her to continue pursuing race walking. Antonia combined race walking and running in the following year, with great success at both. She returned to the NAIA Indoor Nationals and won the 3K race walk. Her season continued with a unique double at the Penn Relays. She placed 3rd in the 5K race walk and ran the 10K with a PR of 36:28.

Antonia refocused on race walking. As a warm up for the 20K nationals, she competed at the National 15K and finished 4th. Realizing that training alone was not the best way to go, she moved out to the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, CA. The move paid off as Antonia finished 2nd at the 20K Nationals with a time of 1:36:37. She was in a position to qualify for World Champions, but had not met the required A standard.

The following season did not fare too well for Antonia's running career. Fortunately for Antonia, when running wasn't going so well, it seemed her walking was. Later that year, she set a meet record on her way to winning the NAIA Indoors Nationals with a time of 13:56.06. Shortly afterwards, she improved her time to 13:15 with a 2 nd-place finish at the USATF Indoor Nationals. Antonia's success continued outdoors, where she won the NAIA Championships, the Penn Relays, and the 15K USATF Nationals. Her success continued with an excellent showing at the 20K Nationals with a time of 1:35:59. The 3 rd-place finish qualified Antonia for the World Cup.

Unfortunately, her season would take a turn for the worst when a month before the World Cup she injured her shin. After having to drop out of the World Cup at 8K, Antonia didn't start training again until April of 2003. "It super sucked," remembers Antonia. She moved back to the Olympic Training Center and was amazed to take 4th at Nationals with a time of 1:39:55. She finished her season racing at the Pan Am Games, where she finished 8 th with a time of 1:42:40. Antonia recalls that "it was nice and hot there too." She is now focused on achieving the A standard required to qualify for the 2004 Olympic Games.

20K World Cup
2002 – DNF – Torino, Italy

20K Pan Am Games
2003 – 4th – 1:42:40 – Tijuana, Mexico