BALLARAT’S Jared Tallent is Australia’s most decorated male athletics competitor in Olympic history.
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Tallent captured his fourth Olympic medal with silver in a gutsy 50-kilometre walk in Rio overnight.
He entered the Games as the newly crowed defending champion for the event after the Russian who crossed the line before him in London, four years ago, was wiped out for doping.
Tallent made a move to take the lead in Rio with 10-kilometres to go and while he stuck to his race plan, he told broadcaster Channel Seven, he had nothing left in his legs to give. He crossed the line and collapsed, exhausted, 18 seconds behind Slovakian Matek Toth, who won in three hours, 40 minuites and 38 seconds.
"I wished the race finished a couple laps earlier today,” Tallent said. “I really wanted the gold, but I'm really happy with silver."
His latest silver, with London gold, add to a silver medal for the 50km and bronze for 20km he claimed in Beijing 2008.
Tallent has played a key mentoring role in Rio, stepping up as team captain when an injured Sally Pearson was forced to withdraw late in preparations for the Games.
He has also doubled as coach for the first time, guiding younger sister Rachel in her Olympic debut.
Rachel Tallent was set to contest the women’s 20km walk, hours after Jared crossed the line.
In the four years since London, Jared Tallent has become a vocal leader for justice in athletics knowing he was beaten that day by a Russian doping cheat. He launched a social media campaign, calling on the International Olympic Committee for action on the Russian athletics program.
