Jared Tallent en route to the Australian 50Km Race Walk title (© Getty Images)
Melbourne, Australia He was tired and sore, his legs were aching and he had just lost the national 50k Race Ralk title in the shadows of the finishing post, but Nathan Deakes was happy.
Jared Tallent, who did not make up his mind to complete the distance until 35km into the race, caught Deakes in the last lap to take the national title in 3:49:33.
Deakes’s second place finish in 3:50:34, however, almost certainly clinched the third and final spot available in the Australian team for London 2012. If, as appears certain, he is confirmed as the final choice to join Tallent and Luke Adams, it will be his fourth Olympic selection.
And if Deakes competes in London, it will be his third Olympics. He competed in Sydney and Athens, winning a 20km bronze medal in the latter Games, but had to pull out of the Beijing 2008 team due to injury.
“When I started out, becoming a triple-Olympian would have been a dream,” said Deakes after the finish of the race, held in Melbourne’s inner-city Fawkner Park on an overcast, but mostly dry Sunday morning after heavy rain had disrupted the Zatopek: 10 meeting the previous evening.
Deakes was the 50km gold medallist at the 2007 World championships but has been stricken by a series of back and hamstring injuries since. He completed his first 50km since Osaka in April this year and led the World championships race past 30km before succumbing to hamstring cramps.
Tallent, 50km bronze medallist at this year’s World championships, and Adams were pre-selected for the 50km as a result of their performances in Daegu. So there was only one place left to be decided in the selection race.
Tallent’s original aim was to help training partner Chris Erickson and Deakes to a qualifying performance. He had committed to at least 30km.
“I didn’t plan to go the whole 50 kilometres today, I was just trying to push Chris (Erickson) along,” Tallent said, “but after 35km I started feeling good and thought I might as well go on with it.”
Tallent hung back and walked with Erickson when Deakes broke away from the leading trio at the 44km mark. After another 3km, however, he left Erickson and started to chase Deakes, catching him in the final lap.
Tallent said the extra distance did not take anything out of him. “In training we go up to 45km so it's not too hard to do the extra 5km.”
It was Tallent’s third national title, having previous won in 2007 and 2009. Deakes, too, has three national 50km titles.
Erickson was left to reflect ruefully that there are pros and cons in being an Australian walker during such a strong era. His 3:51:57 for third place was a personal best by over two minutes, but is likely to leave him short of the Olympic team. Ian Rayson in fourth place, also bettered the Olympic A-standard with 3:57:55.
Erickson will have another shot at the Olympic team when he walks the 20km selection trial, to be held on the Australian championship in Hobart on 25 February, 2012.
Tallent will also walk the 20km and is undecided about which event to do at the IAAF World Road Walking Cup in Saransk in May. But he will definitely attempt the double at London 2012.
Regan Lamble and Beki Lee walked Olympic A-qualifying performances in the women’s 20km.
Sitting alone in front for much of the race, Lamble crossed the line in an impressive 1:32:06, finishing just over a minute ahead of Lee’s 1:33:09. The A-standard is 1:33:30.
“I probably went out a bit too fast to be honest but though I'd set myself up and go for it,” Lamble said.
“Not having anyone to pace me was actually good in a way as it gives me good practice to pace myself out there on my own and I have to learn how to walk at a strong pace by myself.”
Len Johnson for the IAAF
