Chris Erickson in the 50km in Osaka (© Getty Images)
Providing welcome pre-Christmas news for its race walkers, the Australian Federation named a maximum possible four man team for the 50km race walk at the Berlin World Championship. Chris Erickson was the one who ensured the team is known nice and early by gaining automatic qualification in winning in an ‘A’ standard time at the national championships two weeks earlier.
Flushed with success from Nathan Deakes’s victory in Osaka and Jared Tallent’s double silver in Beijing, the squad is bolstered by the inclusion of Luke Adams (sixth at 20km and tenth over 50km in Beijing).
Despite driving rain at Fawkner Park, Melbourne, Erickson sliced nearly three minutes from his personal best to record 3:55:28. The 27-year-old, originally a local now living in Canberra, may not yet be a medal prospect, but his inclusion demonstrates the current depth of talent in Australian race walking.
“I was very happy with an early selection for a change and excited about the prospect of having four on the start line!” said Erickson after the announcement. “We always have that race in December, and in the last couple of years it hasn't gone so well for me. This year I turned it round so it was a nice Christmas present.”
Son of a race walker
To those unfamiliar with race walking it would seem that dedication to the event of race walking must require some unusual introduction and singular motivation. Not so in the Erickson household, as Chris’s father also represented Australia as a walker, and, like Chris, is a Commonwealth medallist. Tim Erickson, now known as a historian of the event, won bronze at Edmonton in 1978, 18 years before his son repeated the feat in Melbourne three years ago.
“I've got three brothers and we all grew up watching dad race - and I would have been nine or ten months old at the Commonwealth Games in 1982 up at Brisbane,” said Chris Erickson. “We always travelled round to watch him race. We'd have all these walkers around our house (like Simon Baker, Andrew Jackno and Dave Smith) devouring big amounts of pasta and then going out training.”
“Then when I was eight I started in little athletics and I suppose I'd seen so much of it I pretty much had the style of race walking imprinted in the brain. Right from the start all us brothers were pretty handy as juniors although I was the only one who went on with walking.”
Further the better...
Erickson’s first national title came over 50km in 2004, and he was runner-up the next year. In contrast, in six attempts at 20km he hasn’t been close to a title.
“I was a fairly good junior but never won a national title - Troy Sundstrom was a really talented junior at that time, but gradually I found in my training that the further I went the better I was. I was handy at 20km but a much better 50km walker. Because Australia was so strong at 20km - with Nathan Deakes and Luke Adams and younger guys like Jared Tallent that in 2006 - I saw an opportunity to make the World Race Walking Cup at 50km and that was the road that I went down. I do feel I’m a better 50km walker.”
Erickson’s coaching was handled by his father but Australian Institute of Sport Walks Coach Brent Vallance has had an increasing influence and is now his main coach.
“I moved to the AIS in May last year. Up until that point I worked with my dad and most of what we did was to aim for 50km. Once I made the move Brent said ‘If you want to be good at 50km you have to be good at 20km’ so I've worked at getting the speed up - walking faster, more often and getting better economy. But even today I speak to dad almost every day going over what I'm doing. He's a great extra ear to have.”
Erickson fits his training around part time administrative work in the offices in the AIS. “My degree was in Sport Administration and Business Management so I also do a little sports coaching in schools, like cricket and soccer and playing with the kids, but only 15 hours or so a week - most of the time I'm focused on training.”
Speedier in 2008
Erickson competed in the 2004 and 2006 IAAF World Race Walking Cups at 50km, improving from 31st to a 26th placing, and in 2006 won a Commonwealth Games bronze medal in a time of 3:58:22, his best he last race.
In the heat of the Osaka 2007 World Championships he finished 24th in 4:13:00 but from last year he found his speedier 20km colleagues were edging him out over his preferred distance.
“My original hope was to do the 50km at the Olympics but with the strength at the event in Australia I only managed fifth place in the trial and that was without Nathan racing - he was pre-selected having won the World Championship, effectively meaning I was sixth on the rung. So, I had one more chance - to chase for the 20km place for Beijing.”
The speed work paid off with fourth place in the Australian Championships earning World Cup selection. He then improved to a 1:22:55 time in Russia, and Beijing selection, only to suffer disqualification in the Olympic Games.
Reflecting on the positive he said, “Even though I'd probably have preferred to race the 50km at the Olympics, looking at the long term picture it probably worked out for the better through learning to race at 20km and getting that speed.”
Benefiting from a large group of walkers
In his build-up to Berlin, Erickson feels he will continue to benefit in being part of a quality group in Canberra - currently swelled to about 30 world class walkers.
“Under Brent Vallence we've got Jared Tallent who won two medals at the Olympics and Adam Rutter as well. We also have Claire Tallent (Jared's wife) training with us and Kellie Wapshot and we do occasional sessions with Luke and Nathan. So we've got these really good core group of guys to train with that pushes us all really well.”
“Actually, we have a training camp on up here at the moment - pretty much all the top guys in Australia are in Canberra for a month. Also, Jamie Costin's here and Zusana Malikova from Slovakia, Johanna Jackson from the UK and a couple of Mexicans are due to come. Generally we have a group of 5 or 6 throughout the year and it's really really good.”
“Hopefully it's something that will grow with more athletes coming in the colder months overseas. The Australian Institute of Sports is probably one of the best places in the world to train as a walker - the facilities are second to none.”
A mini-tour for the IAAF Challenge
“At this stage we're planning, but we'll definitely be doing the Chinese event (Wuxi - 18/19 April ) and probably Rio Maior, Portugal (4 April) as part of a mini-tour in late March and April. Then we’ll come back to Australia to knuckle down for some training before an altitude camp in St. Moritz, Switzerland, for a month - then head for Germany all guns blazing, and hopefully have a really good performance there.”
“For me it's one of the first times I've had selection wrapped up several months out rather than having to chase it so I can really hit my peak in August.”
Trademark flaming ankles
Certainly, Erickson’s ready laughter and distinctive flaming ankle tattoos will add something unique to the Australian squad.
“It's a little bit of a trademark and I do love tattoos. I get a lot of comments about it but I would have said up until Beijing they hadn't got me into any trouble - I don't think they did get me into trouble in Beijing - at least I hope not. It's something unique and brings me some notoriety - but not too much hopefully!”
Tim Watt for the IAAF