Further Information 

Competition Stats

AUSTRALIAN CHAMPIONSHIPS
10,000m walk: 2002 - 2nd (junior), 2003 - 2nd (junior), 2004 - 1st (junior)
10km walk: 2003 - 2nd (junior), 2004 - 1st (junior)
20km walk: 2005 - 3rd, 2006 - 2nd (U23), 2007 - 3rd (open) 1st (U23), 2008 - 3rd (open) 1st (U23), 2009 - 2nd
50km walk: 2007 - 2nd

INTERNATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
World youth championships: 2003 - 10,000m walk DNF
World junior championships: 2004 - 10,000m walk DQ
World Race Walking Cup: 2004 - 10km walk (junior) 9th (42.07), 2006 - 20km walk 50th (1:26.54), 2008 - 20km walk 44th (1:24.57, team 3rd)
Olympic Games: 2008 – 50km walk DNF
World championships: 2009 - 20km walk DQ

ANNUAL PROGRESSION
3000m walk
2002 12.12.20
2003 12.12.99
2004 11.38.0
2005 11.43.08
2008 12.13.9

5000m walk
2002 21.32.17
2003 21.11.03
2004 19.55.35
2005 19.54.84
2006 19.36.30
2008 19.26.64
2009 18:54.65

10,000m walk
2002 44.20.0
2003 44.25.58
2004 44.02.15

10km walk
2004 40.54.0
2005 42.54.0

20km walk
2005 1:24.46
2006 1:22.55
2007 1:26.43
2008 1:21.49
2009 1:22.16

50km walk
2007 3:52.49

EVENTS/PERSONAL BESTS
3000m walk: 11.27.70 - Sydney, 17/02/06
5000m walk: 18:54.65 - Brisbane, 07/02/09
10,000m walk: 41.47.44 - Adelaide, 19/02/05
10km walk: 40.54.00 - Sydney, 26/06/04
20km walk: 1:21.49 - Melbourne, 23/02/08
30km walk: 2:16.09 - Canberra, 10/06/07
50km walk: 3:52.49 - Melbourne, 16/12/07

RECORDS
National Under 20 record - 10km walk: 40.54 - Sydney, 26/06/04
National Under 20 record - 20km walk: 1:24.46 - Sydney, 6/03/05

Interesting Facts

Adam is undertaking a Bachelor of Arts with a major in ancient history.

Sporting Career

A race walker since his pre-teens, Adam set the U14 1500m walk record at Sydney Pacific Athletics Club as a 12-year-old. A year later he finished fourth at the Australian All Schools Championships in the U16 1500m walk.

2003 – Adam won selection for the world youth championships at 16 when he finished second to Jared Tallent in the Australian Junior 10,000m Track Championships and again at the Australian Junior 10km Championships in Canberra in June. Adam travelled to Sherbrooke, Canada for his international debut but failed to finish the race.

2004 – Adam finished second in 46.42.72 to West Australian Michael McCagh in the Australian Junior 10,000m Championships and secured a place in the junior men’s team for the World Race Walking Cup. That was held in Naumburg, Germany and Adam set a huge personal best in finishing ninth in 42.07. A win in the Australian junior 10km walk in Canberra in June preceded the world junior championships in Grosseto, Italy, in July. Australia’s sole representative in the men’s 10,000m walk, Adam was well-placed when disqualified.

2005 – Adam relocated to the Australian Institute of Sport, with McCagh, to join coach Brent Vallance. A training regime was geared towards the 20km distance and, a month after securing the Australian Junior 10,000m Championships ahead of his training partner, Adam finished third to Nathan Deakes and Luke Adams. His time of 1:24.46 was a new Australian junior record.

2005 – Adam contested the Australian Mountain Running Championships held in Canberra and finished third in the junior men’s event.

2006 – Adam missed Commonwealth Games selection to Deakes, Adams and Tallent. He finished second to Tallent at the Australian U23 20km walks championships in 1:26.51 and set a new personal best in Yangzhou, China in April (1:22.55). That result was an Olympic and world championships A-qualifying time, making Adam the youngest Australian race walker in history to secure the mark at 19 years, 124 days.

2007 – Adam took the U23 title but missed world championships selection and gave up his AIS scholarship to return to Sydney. A month later, he returned to Canberra determined as ever. In May Adam’s focus turned to the 50km distance and in December he finished second to Tallent in the national championships and earned nomination for selection to the Australian Olympic team for Beijing. Eight days shy of his 21st birthday, Adam’s time of 3:52.49 saw him become the youngest Australian male to achieve the Olympic A-standard over 50km.

2008 – In his Olympic debut in Beijing, Adam lined up for the 50km walk despite coming down with illness. He was forced to pull out mid-race but was later chosen in Athletics Australia's Target 2012 squad. Adam bounced back from the disappointment of Beijing with a win in the men’s 20km walk (1:23.48), held in conjunction with the Australian 50km Road Walking Championships in Melbourne in December.

2009 – A second placing at the Australian 20km Road Walking Championships in Melbourne in March kick-started Adam’s year, finishing behind Jared Tallent in a time of 1:22.16. In March Adam launched his 2009 IAAF Race Walking Challenge campaign with a fifth place in the 20km event in Chihuahua (MEX) in a time of 1:24.24.