$30,000 prize tops off Tallent's terrific year

Dual Olympic medallist Jared Tallent has capped off a sensational 2008 season by winning the IAAF Race Walking Challenge, and a valuable US$30,000 pay cheque in Murcia, Spain overnight.

Competing in temperatures reaching 33 degrees, the Beijing silver and bronze medallist secured the first prize after finishing second (1:24:02) in last night’s final 20km race behind home town hero Francisco Javier Fernandez (1:23:14).

Sitting in third place on the overall standings prior to last night, Tallent had to place ninth or higher to improve his position, however it was always going to be a challenge after 70km of racing just over a month ago in Beijing.

With the scoring calculated on the athlete’s four best races, Tallent’s consistently good season paid off, finishing six points clear on top of the table. 

Nearest rival Eder Sanchez (38 points), who was in first place on the standings going into the final race, was a DNF after 15km, costing the Mexican the title. Norwegian Erik Tysse (36 points), who was sitting in second place, moved down two places.

Olympic silver medallist and three-time world champion Jefferson Perez (ECU), who announced his retirement, moved up to overall second with 40 points after finishing third in Murcia.

Fellow Australian walker Luke Adams finished seventh in the final race of the season, placing him ninth overall.

“I would have settled for second, and I never thought I was going to be overall winner. I have to say it was heartening to see Eder (Sanchez) drop out. And I really wanted Jefferson to win his last race – but that wasn’t going to get in the way of what I had to do,” Tallent said after the race.

The win brings to a close what has been an amazing year for the 23-year-old. Massive personal bests at the 20km and 50km National Championships set the scene for his first major international victory in Beijing in May, followed by his bronze and silver medals at the Olympic Games. His post-Games nuptials to fellow walker Claire Woods in Adelaide capped off a sensational eight month period.

According to coach Brent Vallence, the US$30,000 will contribute to a deposit on the couple’s first home.

It’s the second time an Australian has won the Challenge in the six-year history of the event, following Luke Adam’s victory in 2007.  The pair following in the footsteps of race walking royals, Pole Robert Korzeniowski and Spain’s Francisco Javier Fernández.

In other athletics results on the weekend, 2008 World Athletics Final long jump victor Fabrice Lapierre placed second at the Shanghai Grand Prix, leaping 8.15 metres into the sand.

Winners of the IAAF Race Walking Challenge:
2003 Robert Korzeniowski (POL) / Gillian O'Sullivan (IRL)
2004 Robert Korzeniowski (POL) / Elisa Rigaudo (ITA)
2005 Francisco Javier Fernández (ESP) / Ryta Turava (BLR)
2006 Francisco Javier Fernández (ESP) / Claudia Stef (ROM)
2007 Luke Adams (AUS) / Ryta Turava (BLR)
2008 Jared Tallent (AUS) / Kjersti Platzer (NOR)