News
Tallent backs Rutter for Berlin berth
A week after stealing the Australian 5000m race walk record off reigning world champion Nathan Deakes at the Sydney Track Classic, dual Olympic medalist Jared Tallent will headline the Australian 20km race walk championships at Fawkner Park this Saturday, 7 March.
The event, which also acts as the 2009 world championships qualifying event, will kick off at 7:30am.
Tallent, who returned from Beijing with silver (50km walk) and bronze (20km walk) medals around his neck, has been rewarded for his achievements and pre-selected but we won’t be taking the competition lightly.
“I am definitely going to go out hard. It would be great to defend my title and make it two in a row.
“After my time in Sydney I feel confident I am in personal best shape so I am hoping to get close to that (1:19.41) or even a bit quicker,” Tallent said.
Fellow Beijing Olympic representative Luke Adams has also been pre-selected, leaving one remaining opportunity in the men’s event, which Tallent predicts will be eaten up by Adam Rutter.
“I think my training partner Adam Rutter will definitely be able to grab the third and last remaining spot for the 20km.
“He has been training the house down over the last few months and I am predicting we will see big things from him this year.”
For Tallent, Beijing was an amazing achievement but he is hoping to go one better in Berlin come August.
“Winning gold is definitely the goal. It would be great to go there (world championships in Berlin) and do even better than I did in Beijing.
“At this stage though I just have to keep progressing with my training, stay injury free and prepare as best I can.”
In the women’s event, Jared’s wife Claire Tallent along with Natalie Saville will start as favourites, with young-gun Jessica Rothwell also hoping to make her mark in open competition.
With no pre-selections, there are a maximum three spots available for the women’s 20km walk in Berlin.
Claire Tallent produced a personal best (1:33:02) performance at this event in 2008 gaining her nomination for the Beijing Olympics. She again produced the same time in Beijing to finish 28th.
The inform Rothwell finished fourth at the World Junior Championships in 2008 and crossed the line in first place in the women's 5000m race walk at last week's Sydney Track Classic before being disqualified.
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletters to keep up to date with Athletics in Australia.
_stack_WEB_4e0d093feac62.jpg)
