Further Information 

Competition Stats

AUSTRALIAN CHAMPIONSHIPS:
10km walk: 1999 - 2nd (U20), 2002 - 1st, 2004 - 1st, 2005 - 3rd, 2006 - 2nd
20km walk: 2007 - 1st, 2008 3rd (2nd Australian)

INTERNATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS:
Race Walking World Cup: 2004 - 20km walk 42nd (1:35.25), 2008 - 20km walk 31st (1:35.01)
World University Games: 2007 - 20km walk 14th (1:45.07)

ANNUAL PROGRESSION:

10km walk:
2002  48:13
2003  50:51
2004  47:02
2005  48:49
2006  47:19
2007  48:21

20km walk:
2002  1:37.13
2003  1:42.16
2004  1:35.25
2005  1:36.21
2006  1:35.18
2007  1:35.36
2008  1:33.02

EVENTS/PERSONAL BESTS:
3000m walk: 13.25.1 (mix) - Adelaide, 10/12/05
5000m walk: 22.49.1 (mix) - Adelaide, 4/01/01
10km walk: 47:02 - Naumburg (GER), 2/05/04
20km walk: 1:33.02 - Melbourne, 23/02/08

Interesting Facts

Initially a middle distance runner, Claire graduated through Little Athletics ranks and took up walks at 14 after filling in at an interclub final. She became engaged to fellow Australian representative walker Jared Tallent in Germany in June 2007.

Sporting Career

After finishing second in the 10km walk junior title in 1999, Claire took her first National crown in 2002 contesting both road distances with respective personal bests of 48:13 (2002) and 1:37.13 (20km walk).

She re-located to the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra in 2003 and, though her progression slowed initially, in 2004 she began to make some serious inroads. Claire took her second national 10km walk title and was selected to compete at the Race Walking Cup in Naumburg, Germany - her international debut - setting a new personal best of 1:35.25.

Her AIS scholarship concluded at the end of 2004 yet Claire remained in Canberra with partner and fellow race walker Jared Tallent and maintained her times over 10km and 20km.

Pleasingly, 2006 brought another upward trend with a new 20km personal best at the IAAF Race Walking Challenge meet in Yangzhou, China.

Claire contested the 2007 Australian 20km Championship in Brisbane and won the title, taking the national crown for the first time over the distance.

Claire was selected for the World University Games in Bangkok, Thailand as a result, but struggled in greasy, sometimes rainy conditions to finish 14th - certainly not doing her ability over the distance the justice it deserves.

In 2008, Claire walked a PB and A qualifier in the Australian 20km Road Walking Championships (1:33.02) to finish third behind Jo Jackson (GBR) and Kellie Wapshott. Claire will join Kellie and Athens bronze medallist Jane Saville, on the team for Beijing, after being nominated to the Australian Olympic Committee for selection to the 2008 Olympic Games.