JARED Tallent is the undisputed “king of Canberra” when it comes to race walking.
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The Ballarat Olympian captured his ninth 20-mile title in Racewalking Australia’s Lake Burley Griffin Carnival.
This was the eighth-straight year Tallent has won the marquee event in the annual Queen’s Birthday weekend meet, taking him ahead of fellow Olympian Willi Sawall in both total wins and longest winning streak.
Tallent first won the crown in 2005 and has held it consecutively since 2007, posting five of the event’s top-10 times, including an event best of two hours, 14 minutes and 57 second that he set in 2009. Sawall held the Canberra title from 1976-1982 and won it back in 1986.
Tallent clocked a time this year of 2:27:27 to win ahead of Victorian Chris Erikson 2:31.50. Both represented Australia in last month’s IAAF World Race Walking Cup in China, in which Tallent won 50-kilometre bronze.
Now based in South Australia with wife Claire as coach, Tallent’s win anchored the team’s win for his adopted state.
Youngster Ross Barlow led a strong Ballarat Racewalking Club campaign in Canberra.
Barlow won the boys’ under-16 three-kilometre race and teams event with a time of 13:18. He was also fifth in the boys’ under-18 5km.
Sarah Brennan won the women’s masters 10-mile, and was fifth overall in open, with a time of 1:32:06 while John Kilmartin won the fitness 20-mile race in 3:40:00.
Ruby Saunder was second in the girls’ under-10 1km and Alana Peart was third in the girls’ under-12 2km.
Fraser Sanders (under-10/12), Scott Peart (under-10) and Jemma Peart (under-14/16) were also in action.