Tallent gets nod for worlds

Updated November 2 2012 - 11:03am, first published December 26 2008 - 12:26pm

JARED TALLENT'S efforts at the Beijing Olympics have made him a walk-up starter for next year's World Track and Field Championships in Berlin.The Newlyn race walker has earned pre-selection in the 20km and 50km events at the titles in August.Tallent won silver in the 50km and bronze in the 20km walk at Beijing to become the first Australian in 102 years to win two athletics medals at the Games.To gain pre-selection for the Australian team, athletes had to finish in the top eight at Beijing.This will be the 24-year-old's third appearance in the world championships, having finished 18th in the 20km walk in Helsinki, Finland, in 2005, and being disqualified in the same event in Osaka, Japan, in 2007.Tallent also claimed bronze in the 20km walk at the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games.Atheltics Australia chairman of selectors Peter Fitzgerald said pre-selection allowed athletes like Tallent to focus on their training."The pre-selection clause enables athletes to focus on preparing for Berlin now, rather than having to wait until after the selection trials in March," he said. Those who gained pre-selection still had to fulfil the requirements of Athletics Australia's nomination policy."These requirements include participation in Athletics Australia's domestic season events. This includes the Track Classic in Sydneyand the World Athletics Tour meet in Melbourne, along with the national championships in Brisbane."They must also be able to maintain their fitness and form prior to the world championships, otherwise they will not be departing for Berlin."Five other athletes have also been pre-selected - Steve Hooker (pole vault), Sally McLellan (100m hurdles), Luke Adams (20km walk), Jarrod Bannister (javelin) and Youcef Abdi (3000m steeplechase).Hooker set an Olympic record of 5.96m on his way to winning Australia's first Olympic gold in men's track-and field since 1968, while McLellan claimed silver in a thrilling 100m hurdles final. Bannister finished sixth in his event, as did Adams and Abdi.Chris Erickson and Nathan Deakes have also been selected for the Australian 50km-walk team.Erickson won the national championships in an A-qualifying time in Melbourne two weeks ago, while reigning world champion Deakes was also named.

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