12.02.2010

D-day for Australia's elite race walkers in Hobart

Former world champion and world record-holder Nathan Deakes will tomorrow night make his long-awaited return to the international race walking scene when he lines up in Round 1 of the 2010 IAAF Race Walking Challenge in Hobart, the first time the series has ventured to the southern hemisphere in its eight-year history.

In one of the strongest race walking fields ever assembled on local shores, Deakes will be joined on the start line by the last three winners of the IAAF series, with 2007 champion Luke Adams (AUS), 2008 victor Jared Tallent (AUS) and defending champion Eder Sanchez (MEX) all set to do battle over the 20km course.

With the IAAF-sanctioned event to double as the national 20km race walking championships and Commonwealth Games selection trials, and just three tickets to New Delhi (IND) up for grabs in the men’s and women’s fields, competition is sure to be fierce on the Hobart waterfront.

Fronting up the domestic contingent alongside Deakes, Adams and Tallent will be reigning Commonwealth Games bronze medallist Chris Erickson, Australian Flame representative Adam Rutter and 1998 Commonwealth Games silver medallist Duane Cousins.

Adding further weight to the field will be a host of international challengers all out for a share of the $10,000 cash bounty including 2009 world championships representative Isamu Fujisawa (JPN), two-time Olympian Yuki Yamazaki (JPN), Mexican contenders Sanchez, Adrian Herrera and David Mejia, Ato Ibanez of Sweden and New Zealand hopefuls Eric Kemsley, Scott Nelson, Mike Parker, Quentin Rew and David Sim, who will take part in an Under 23 test match against their Australian counterparts.    

Despite the impressive depth of talent in the men’s field it will be 32-year-old Deakes who takes to the start line as the most highly-credentialed campaigner, his outstanding athletics career highlighted by his 2006 world record in the 50km walk, 2007 world championships win in the same event, four Commonwealth Games gold medals (2002 – 20km walk, 50km walk, 2006 – 20km walk, 50km walk) and bronze medal in the 20km walk at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games.
 
The Victorian, who was forced out of the Beijing Olympic Games in 2008 and the world championships in Berlin in 2009 through injury, has already stated his desire to defend his Commonwealth Games titles in October and will now have to contend with one of the toughest domestic fields of his career to shore up a place on the Delhi team.

Australian Flame representatives Cheryl Webb and Claire Tallent will headline the women’s field alongside Beijing Olympian Kellie Wapshott.

2009 world championships representative Jess Rothwell will be missing in action on the Hobart waterfront, ruled out of competition due to injury.

Also in action tomorrow night will be some of the rising stars of the sport, with Athletics Australia Under 19 Talent Squad members Beth Alexander, Dane Bird-Smith, Sean Fitzsimons and Blake Steele to line up in the Under 20 10km event.

The Hobart leg of the IAAF Race Walking Challenge is part of a bumper weekend of athletics action on the Apple Isle, which also features the Briggs Athletics Classic and Australian combined events championships.

Briggs Athletics Classic: Friday February 12, 5:30pm at the Domain Athletics Centre

Australian combined events championships: Saturday 13 and Sunday, February 14 at the Domain Athletics Centre

Australian 20km race walking championships: Saturday February 13, 6pm at the Hobart waterfront

Following the opening round of the IAAF Race Walking Challenge in Hobart this weekend the elite international series will move to Olhao, Portugal, as the world’s best walkers continue the race for qualification to the season-ending IAAF Race Walking Challenge Final in Beijing, China, in September.