Race Walking Enters New Age | Australia Poised for World Race Walking Team Championships
Published Sat 20 Apr 2024
As global race walking enters a new era with the introduction of the marathon mixed relay for the 2024 Olympic Games, Australia’s biggest names are ready and raring to stake their claim for gold in Paris when taking to the 2024 World Race Walking Team Championships in Turkey.
On a blockbuster program featuring individual 10km Race Walk and 20km Walk events to take place this Sunday in Antalya, the Marathon Mixed Race Walk Relay will be the talk of the walking world when contested for the first time at a major championship.
The format is two athletes, a man and a woman, covering the distance as follows: 12.195km for the man, 10km for the woman, 10km for the man, and a final 10km for the woman to the finish line. The top 22 teams in Antalya will qualify for Paris, with up to five of the 22 teams able to select a second team for their country.
World Championships silver medallist Jemima Montag (VIC, Brent Vallance) will lead the charge with two-time Olympian Rhydian Cowley (VIC, Brent Vallance) as the experienced duo look to book Australia’s first ticket to Paris in the event, aiming to walk safely but surely on the road to Paris.
Set to take on walking powerhouses China, Spain and Italy amongst the star-studded field, Australia’s race walkers will match it with the world’s best including Olympic champions Antonella Palmisano (ITA), Massimo Stano (ITA), Dawid Tomala (POL), and double world champions Alvaro Martin (SPA) and Maria Perez (SPA).
The event provides not only a crucial qualifying opportunity but so too a unique chance to refine fuelling, recovery and race craft in a championship environment.
Australia will field further teams of Rebecca Henderson (VIC, Simon Baker) and Declan Tingay (WA, Brent Vallance), and Olivia Sandery (SA, Jared Tallent) and Kyle Swan (VIC, Jared Tallent) when looking to double down on the nation’s Olympic hopes.
In the first instalment of the championships since 2022, the roads of Turkey will also welcome team events in the Men’s and Women’s 20km Race Walks, with Australia fielding five men led by Will Thompson (VIC, Brent Vallance) and three women headed by World Championships representative Alannah Pitcher (NSW, Frank Overton).
Spearheading the action over the shorter distances will be national junior record holder Isaac Beacroft (NSW, David Beacroft) and Australian Under 20 champion Alexandra Griffin (WA, Jared Tallent), as teams of three in compete in the Men’s and Women’s 10km events, garnering crucial international experience.
The 2024 World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships will begin at 1:30pm AEST on Sunday April 21, with Australian viewers able to tune in via World Athletics Inside Track. For more information including start lists and timetable, CLICK HERE.
2024 World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships (Sunday 21 April):
1:30pm AEST – Men’s 10km Race Walk
2:30pm AEST – Women’s 10km Race Walk
3:40pm AEST – Women’s 20km Race Walk
5:35pm AEST – Men’s 20km Race Walk
7:25pm AEST – Marathon Race Walk Mixed Relay
By Lachlan Moorhouse, Athletics Australia
Posted 19 April, 2024
