Athletics Australia declared its 'best of the best' in a gala dinner at Crown Palladium in Melbourne on Friday night with javelin thrower Kim Mickle named as best female athlete.

The pair were the only Australians to medal at the IAAF World Championships in Moscow in August - Tallent with a gutsy bronze in the men's 50-kilometre walk and Mickle collecting silver in the javelin.

Tallent, a three-time Olympic medallist from Newlyn, was also overall winner in the IAAF Race Walking Challenge series that included a 20km win in Spain and was sealed with his world championship bronze.

The Athletics Australia prize capped off an impressive year. 

“I’m very honoured to win this. I have been performing at a strong level like this for some time now, and it is probably ten years in the making but it is great to be recognised like this,” Tallent said.

 “In 2003 I nearly gave the sport away when I lost my scholarship at the VIS but then I was invited to Canberra by Brent Vallance, my parents forced me to go, and the rest is history. I have to thank them especially for this.

“I have aspirations to continue right through to Tokyo, and who knows from there. I love what I do and am so excited and that I get to continue doing it now with my wife Claire (Tallent) as my coach.”

The IAAF World Race Walking Cup is Tallent's top priority next year - he has collected bronze and silver medals and is keen to step up and capture gold.