Dane Bird-Smith 2016 Olympic Campaign
The first interesting skirmishes have occurred in the "Four days of Taihu" between 26 and 29 September last year when to earn the victory in the third edition of the great race of the end of the season Dane Bird Smith lost to home athlete Wang Zhen only for 8" after two 10km, one 12 km and one 15,6 km.
The first and third stage saw Wang Zhen in front of Dane Bird-Smith respectively for 15" and 11", while in the second and in the fourth stages it recorded the opposite result in favor of the Australian with benefits by 6" and 12".
Probably it was here that Dane had the true perception of being able to make it to aspire to Olympic medal.
With help of his father and coach Dave Smith we rebuild the fabulous 2016 with the bronze in Rio.
6 February 2016: 1st in 5km 18:46
Garry Brown Shield - 5000m Walk
SAF, Nathan, QLD P.B.
21 February 2016: 1st in 20km 1:20:04
2016 Australian Summer 20km Championships
North Adelaide Parklands, Adelaide, SA P.B.
5 March 2016: 1st in 5km 18:38.97 (National Record)
Melbourne Track Classic - 5000m Walk
Lakeside Stadium, Albert Park, VIC P.B.
3 April 2016: 1st in 10km 38:44
Australian T&F Championships - 10,000m Walk
SOPAC, Sydney, NSW P.B.
7 May 2016: 4th in 20km 1:19:38 (Personal Best)
2016 IAAF World Race Walking Teams Championship 20km
Rome, Italy
28 June 2016: 1st in 5km 19:08.76
T&F Championships - 5000m Walk
Birmingham, England
to finish on 12 August 2016 with bronze in Rio de Janeiro with a time of 1:19:37 (again Personal Best) and best time of an Australian athlete at the Olympic Games.
In the all time rankings Australian, Dane Bird-Smith now is sixth
| Time | Atlete | YoB | Place | Vevue | Date |
| | | | | | |
| 1:17:33 | Nathan Deakes | 17.08.1977 | 1st | Cixi City, CHN | 23.04.2005 |
| 1:19:15 | Luke Adams | 22.10.1976 | 7th | Cheboksary, RUS | 10.05.2008 |
| 1:19:15 | Jared Tallent | 17.10.1984 | 1st | Melbourbe, AUS | 13.02.2010 |
| 1:19:22 | Dave Smith | 24.07.1955 | 1st | Hobart, AUS | 19.07.1987 |
| 1:19:33 | Nick A'Hern | 06.01.1969 | 1st | Melbourne, AUS | 15.12.1990 |
| 1:19:37 | Dane Bird-Smith | 15.07.1992 | 3rd | Rio de Janeiro, BRA | 12.08.2016 |
It's very nice and interesting to note that only 15" separating father and son: who knows when there will be overtaking.
This is an extraordinary set of results for Dane no less than 6 P.B.s leading into and including these Olympic Games.
He has now put himself alongside the names of Nathan Deakes and Jared Tallent in Australian Racewalking history as one our finest. And his racewalking career is still way ahead of him, being only 24 years old.
Cai Zelin (silver), Wang Zhen (gold), Dane Bird-Smith (bronze)