Jared Tallent takes bronze in the men's 20km walk (© Getty Images)
2008 Double Olympic medallist Jared Tallent and former World champion and World record holder Nathan Deakes will lead an 18-strong Australian team into action at the IAAF World Race Walking Cup in Chihuahua, Mexico, 15/16 May.
Tallent, 25, will line up for his fourth consecutive World Race Walking Cup in scintillating shape, his win in Round 1 of the IAAF Race Walking Challenge in Hobart last month in the personal best time of 1:19.15 showing he has entered 2010 in superb form.
In three previous appearances at the World Race Walking Cup Tallent has placed 75th (2004), 14th (2006) and 10th (2008) over 20km, the 2010 edition of the meet to mark the first time the Victorian has attempted the 50km distance at a Cup.
Australia has serious title hopes in the men’s 50km, where Tallent will be joined by a resurgent Nathan Deakes, who made his return to competition in Hobart last month following a serious hamstring injury that forced him out of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games and 2009 world championships. In Chihuahua Deakes will contest his first major race on international soil since taking out the 50km World title in Osaka (JPN) in 2007.
Tallent and Deakes will share the 50km start line with two-time Olympic, four-time World championships and five-time World Race Walking Cup representative Luke Adams, fellow Olympic, World Championships and World Race Walking Cup representative Chris Erickson, and 2009 World University Games contender Tom Barnes.
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Erin Carter (Athletics Australia) for the IAAF
Team list
Senior men – 20km
Ian Rayson (22, NSW)
Adam Rutter (23, NSW)
Senior men – 50km
Luke Adams (33, NSW)
Tom Barnes (27, Vic)
Nathan Deakes (32, Vic)
Chris Erickson (28, Vic)
Jared Tallent (25, Vic)
Senior women – 20km
Jillian Hosking (22, ACT)
Jessica Rothwell (20, Vic)
Claire Tallent (28, SA)
Kellie Wapshott (28, ACT)
Cheryl Webb (33, NSW)
Junior men – 10km
Dane Bird-Smith (17, Qld)
Rhydian Cowley (19, Vic)
Sean Fitzsimons (18, WA)
Junior women – 10km
Beth Alexander (17, Vic)
Paige Hooper (17, SA)
Regan Lamble (18, Vic)
