Dunfee shatters Canadian record, Montag opens her Olympic campaign in style at Supernova

Canada’s Olympic bronze medallist Evan Dunfee has delivered the performance of his lifetime with a new national record in Canberra, while Australia’s global medallist Jemima Montag toppled a world-class field at the Supernova: World Athletics Race Walking Tour Bronze meet this weekend.

Crossing the line in 38:25.42, the 33-year-old shattered his previous national record by more than 10 seconds (38:36.37) as he opened up his Olympic campaign in style.

While Australians Rhydian Cowley (Brent Vallance) and Kyle Swan (Jared Tallent) set a commanding pace, storming through the halfway mark in 19:30, the Canadian waited patiently to make his move in the last half of the race – a strategy that saw him win by a convincing 20 seconds.

“This was the first big test of the year, and I really think this was my best-executed race ever. The goal was to come out and sit on the leader for the first five kilometres and then kick down,” Dunfee said.

“Closing in is something I’ve been really working on for the 20km, so I wanted to move in late in the race, kick down and get that negative split. In that last couple of kilometres, I realised that if I was able to hold that pace, I could get that record.”

Dunfee’s new record has him hungrier to extend his Olympic success this year in Paris.

“Last year I opened up 39:46 in Canberra and went on to finish fourth at Worlds, and 80 seconds quicker to start this year – that’s got to bode well for the summer and I’m excited to see what we can do in Paris with these old legs.”

While Dunfee claimed the top spot, Australia’s race-walking talent made waves over 25 laps. Swan and Cowley showcased their determination and skill, securing second and third place, respectively, both achieving new lifetime best times, thanks to their work setting the pace over the first five kilometres.

Swan’s 38:46.99 saw the Tokyo Olympian shave more than 30 seconds off his previous best, while two-time Olympian Cowley continued his progression with a 19-second best as he crossed the line in 38:55.20.

“It was awesome to have those guys and walk 19 and a half minutes through five kilometres. There aren’t many races in the world you can get a pack that can do that and we all benefited today. They did a fantastic job with the pace and it was terrific to see them both achieve PBs,” Dunfee said of his competitors.

Australia’s junior talent shone brightly throughout the race, with seven burgeoning race walkers dipping below the qualifying standard for the World Under 20 Championships in Lima, Peru this August. Australian representative Marcus Wakim (41:29.32) was the fastest of the juniors, placing ninth overall, as Bailey Housden (41:30.77) continued his rise to stardom with a new Australian Under 18 national record, while Owen Toyne (42:13.86), John Ronan (42:15.14), Riley Coughlan (42:17.05), Will Bottle (42:43.34) and Dylan Richardson (43:14.18) displayed their talents as they launch their bids for team selection.

Day One of the Supernova belonged to global medallist Jemima Montag (Brent Vallance) who delivered a warning to the world’s best race walkers when opening her Paris campaign as she dismantled one of the best fields ever assembled on Australian soil.

Stopping the clock in 43:14.78 at the meet on Saturday, Montag clinched the honours instyle ahead of Olympic silver medallisst Lorena Arenas (Colombia, 43:27.48), Clemence Beretta b(France, 43:35.32), Hong Liu (PR China, 44:05.50) and Antigoni Ntrismpioti (Greece, 44:39.83).

Former 20km world record holder Liu set the early pace when clearing out with Montag and Arenas, while Beretta made a bold bid mid-race move to join the leaders, but it was the Australian who delivered a dazzling final five laps to stake her claim ahead off the 2024 Chemist Warehouse Australian 20km Race Walking Championships in Adelaide on February 11.

Olympian Rebecca Henderson (Simon Baker, 45:19.19) and World Championships representatives Allanah Pitcher (Frank Overton, 45:30.54) and Olivia Sandery (Jared Tallent, 46:17.39) were the next three athletes across the finish line of the star-studded affair.

Australia’s race walkers will now prepare for the Oceania and Australian 20km Race Walking Championships on February 11, as they look ahead to the Paris Olympics this July.

By Sascha Ryner and Lachlan Moorhouse, Athletics Australia
Posted: 28/1/2024