Tallent wins, 400 relays burn in Canberra

A clinical victory to Jared Tallent in the 20km walk opened the second day of Canberra 2008, with the 23 year-old claiming a B-qualifier in a time of 1:24.20.

Tallent has made clear his intentions to compete over both the 20km and 50km distances in Beijing and is halfway there, having earned nomination to the team after a stunning win in December’s 50km championships in Melbourne.

He will have to return to Melbourne for the official 20km championships on February 23, two days after the grand prix meet on February 21.

Today’s walk was an opportunity to put into practice three weeks of altitude testing undertaken by a team at the Australian Institute of Sport under the watch of Tallent’s coach Brent Vallance.

“I just kind of cruised through,” Tallent said. “I was pretty tired after being in the altitude house and training really hard. I’ve still done a pretty big week in training and didn’t really ease up until Friday.

“I’m happy with how it went and now looking forward to competing at the Australian Athletics Cup over 5k in a week’s time, (then) a pretty quick time over 20k (in Melbourne) to qualify for the Olympics.

“I’m training pretty well for the shorter stuff with really good speed and I’m really looking forward to getting down to Melbourne and adding that event as well.”

Chris Erickson finished second in 1:27.00 with Duane Cousins third in 1:30.44. Adam Rutter, pre-selected for Beijing with Tallent, withdrew when in the lead after surrendering to hamstring tightness.

In the women’s race, reigning Australian champion Claire Woods (1:38.47) was beaten by Victorian Jess Rothwell, who handled the Lake Burley Griffin course well to finish in 1:37.34.

The perfect conditions also welcomed under-20 wins over 10km for Brendon Reading (45.36) and Nicole Fagan (52.34).

It had got a little hotter when the relays beckoned back at AIS Athletics Field, the 30-degree temperatures encouraging some solid performances.

The 4 x 100m team of Lauren Hewitt, Sally McLellan, Crystal Attenborough and Jody Henry – running that order – finished in 44.26 from New Zealand and an Australia B team of Amy Harris, Fiona Cullen, Laura Verlinden and Laura Whaler.

However, the time was outside of the country’s two best runs of 2007, which produced 43.62 in May and 43.91 in September, both in Osaka.

Frustration extended to the men’s 4 x 100m as Aaron Rouge-Serret, Josh Ross, Isaac Ntiamoah and Matt Shirvington finished second to a pumped-up New Zealand (39.60).

The quartet ran smoothly to post 39.64, though it lacked the punch of the 38.73 round produced at the World Championships in August.

It was a different situation in the men’s 4 x 400m, with two teams leaving Canberra with times quicker than anything produced in the last calendar year.

The Australia A team of Joel Milburn, Dylan Grant, Mark Ormrod and national champion Sean Wroe produced 3:01.52, with each athlete looking sharp in movement and baton change.

Australia B was hot on their tail in 3:02.53 as Clinton Hill made ground on Wroe in the final leg in a very impressive run. It was a welcome sight, particularly given Hill’s battle with injuries over the last 18 months.

“He clearly showed the benefit of having a run yesterday,” said Athletics Australia’s chairman of selectors Peter Fitzgerald.

Kurt Mulcahy, Tristan Thomas and the experienced Daniel Batman ran well into the Athens 2004 relay silver medallist, providing coaches and selectors with a talented host of runners in this Olympic year.

Caitlin Pincott (nee Willis), Jaimee-Lee Starr, the ever-improving Olivia Tauro and Tamsyn Lewis finished their 4 x 400m relay in a solid 3:32.71.

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