Dane Bird-Smith (Qld) and Rachel Tallent (Vic) are one step closer to a maiden start at the Olympic Games after stunning personal best performances at the Oceania & Australian 20km Race Walking Championships in Adelaide (SA) this morning.
To be automatically nominated for selection to the Australian Olympic Team, the duo were victorious after fantastic races in both the men’s and women’s open events, with results also confirming Rio 2016 qualifying performances for green and gold starters Rhydian Cowley (Vic, 1:22:07), Tanya Holliday (SA, 1:32:15), Beki Smith (NSW, 1:32:49), and Stephanie Stigwood (Tas, 1:33:45).
20km men
In the men’s race, the early pace was set by Perseus Karlstrom (SWE, 6th, 1:21:03) as the international starter extended his lead to as much as fifteen seconds, before being absorbed by those on his heels as the race neared half way. Bird Smith, Lebogange Shange (RSA, second, 1:20:06) and Ben Thorne (CAN, third, 1:20:08) shared the lead through the chase effort before Bird-Smith moved to the front on the bell lap and held on to a narrow margin to win in a sprint finish.
“That was the perfect race, really. I paced it out with the guys that I needed to go with. It was about winning that Australian title today, nailing the race, and highlighting that in an Olympic year I am ready,” Bird-Smith said.
“I’m getting closer to that 80-minute barrier, I guess it is something that I will save for Rio now. I’ve been doing personal bests in training and it’s good to get it done in a race as well.
“The game plan from here is to finish off a few more races domestically. I’ll be chasing a couple more personal bests, before heading to Europe for the World Walk Cup and challenge for a medal placing. I’ll be hitting it until we get to Rio as much as I can.”
In the 20 km men there was also the athlete's participation of the Italian Giovanni Renò who finished 16th with a time of 1:29:23.
20 km women
In the women’s race, Rachel Tallent left her charge to the front until the closing laps of the two-kilometre loop course.
Among the pack in the early stages, it was Stephanie Stigwood who pushed the pace in the first instance, with her efforts stringing out the field across the first five kilometres. Beki Smith then moved to the front, with Regan Lamble (Vic, DNF) on her shoulder, before they were caught by Rachel Tallent and Tanya Holliday. Smith’s lead was maintained until the 18-kilometre mark when Tallent took the lead and never looked back, crossing to win in a personal best time of 1:31:33.
“That was very unexpected. I was hoping for top-three today in a pretty quick time, but to come away with the win in a time like that is even better. I smashed my previous best by more than two minutes, it is such a confidence boost,” Tallent said.
A phase of the male race (photo by Terry Swan - AUS)
Rachel Tallent victory (photo by Terry Swan - AUS)
Female race podium (by Athletics Australia)