18.06.2010

Walkers fire up the road to Delhi

Five of the six Australian race walkers bound for the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi, India, in October, will this weekend take their preparations offshore when they line up in Round 10 of the IAAF Race Walking Challenge in La Coruna, Spain.

Headlining the action will be dual Olympic medallist Jared Tallent, who will be joined in Europe by Australian Flame teammates Luke Adams, Jess Rothwell, Claire Tallent and Cheryl Webb.

In February Tallent kick-started his IAAF Challenge campaign on the best possible note, taking out Round 1 of the race walking series in Hobart in a new personal best time of 1:19.15. In May he placed third over 50km on the seventh stop of the worldwide tour in Chihuahua, Mexico, which doubled as the 2010 IAAF World Race Walking Cup.

Joining Tallent on the start line of the men's 20km event in La Coruna this weekend will be fellow Olympic and world championships representative Luke Adams, who placed second to Tallent at the national 20km race walking championships and Commonwealth Games selection trials in Hobart to secure his ticket to New Delhi. Following the disappointment of having to withdraw from last month's IAAF World Race Walking Cup with severe stomach trouble, Adams will no doubt be looking for a big return to the international stage this weekend.

Also out to continue her recent good form will be race walking young gun Jess Rothwell, who placed ninth in Chihuahua last month on her return from injury to secure nomination to the Commonwealth Games team.

Rothwell will be joined on the course by fellow Delhi ticket-holders Claire Tallent and Cheryl Webb as the Australian trio continues its build-up to this year's Games.

IAAF Race Walking Challenge - Round 10
La Coruna (ESP)
Saturday, June 19

Men's 20km walk: Luke Adams, Jared Tallent
Women's 20km walk: Jess Rothwell, Claire Tallent, Cheryl Webb