ATHLETICS: Some 1,405 days after he crossed the finishing line in the 50km walk at the London Olympics, Jared Tallent will finally be honoured with a gold medal in Melbourne this Friday.
Justice has been a while coming and fittingly, thousands of supporters, friends and family will be there to cheer him when he receives his Olympic gold medal on Melbourne’s Treasury Steps at midday.
“It’s been so long since London and I can’t wait to put the gold medal around my neck and to celebrate with family and friends,” Tallent said.
The acknowledgement of Tallent as 2012 Olympic champion is a vindication for the 31 year-old and a victory for the global fight against drugs in sport.
The Ballarat-born walker will proudly receive his medal, Olympic pin and his Rio 2016 team blazer with his name printed inside.
Four years ago Tallent crossed the line in second place at London 2012 and was presented with his third Olympic medal, having previously received bronze (20km) and silver (50km) at Beijing 2008.
But Tallent was elevated to gold for London 2012 after Russian Sergey Kirdyapkin was stripped of his medal for doping by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) last March. Tallent also becomes the Olympic Record Holder with a time of 3 hours 36 minutes and 53 seconds.
The dual Olympian has also had another achievement to his list. He was awarded Order of Australia on Monday in the Queen’s Birthday Honours.
Tallent, who will compete in the 20km and 50km double this August in Brazil, says the wait has been worthwhile.
Among the crowd will be his wife, fellow Olympian Claire Tallent, and his sister Rachel, who will also compete in Rio.
Tallent regards this as a special moment that he will share with family and friends.
“I’m imagining standing on top of the steps with everyone singing the anthem and then a big cheer hopefully with a few thousand people after everything that happened four years ago,” he said.
“I’m really looking forward to the day, seeing the flag go up. It’ll be very different and unique. The build-up has been for months. In competition and at the Olympics you usually only get an hour or two to prepare.”
When Tallent learnt that the CAS had ruled him the rightful winner in March, he was enjoying a night at home in Adelaide with Claire.
“We were heading overseas the next day and we had a nice bottle of wine in the fridge which we had been saving for a year. We were waiting looking at the computer, refreshing it.
“Then, before I’d seen it, a friend (fellow walker and Rio Team member Chris Erickson) sent me a Facebook message saying ‘You’re a gold medallist’!”
He said it had been a tough few years but this ceremony is proof that honesty can prevail.
“In 2013-14 I was beaten by Russians who were later banned for doping, but now with the London result corrected I’m a lot happier with myself.”
Along with a new gold medal from the IOC, Tallent will receive a Sportscraft Olympic Uniform blazer, which Australian athletes will wear at the Opening and Closing Ceremonies in Rio.
Printed on the inside are the names of all of Australia’s gold medallists. It’s an honour that Tallent thought he might miss out on.
“I didn’t expect it at all. I was in a training camp in the US when Kitty (Chef de Mission, Kitty Chiller) called me to tell me she had organised for a blazer with my name in it. For her to organise it is over and above what I had expected. Friends had mentioned my name should be inside, but I figured my name would be in the one for Tokyo.”
That personalised jacket is a strong reminder to Tallent that the job isn’t done yet, with the South Australian-based athlete determined to defend his champion status in Rio.
“I’m pretty proud of that. I’ve never been a defending champion for a big competition. It’s been a really big motivator for the last few months.
“It’s going to be extremely tough, I’ve won a medal at every Championships since 2008, except 2009. I’m just going to give it my best.”
Tallent is coaching sister Rachel on her road to Rio.
“Rachel is eight years younger than me and she followed me into the sport. She sends me training updates every day (from Canberra) and we’re spending the lead up in St Moritz, Switzerland,” he said.
“I had Beijing and London with Claire, and this time Rachel will be there competing and Claire will be the coach.”
Friday’s ceremony will be historic for the people of Melbourne – the first Olympic medal ceremony the city has hosted for sixty years.
And for the thousands of children and aspiring Olympians watching in the crowd and through the media, Tallent’s message is clear.
“It’s proof I’ve done it the right way,” he said.
ANNIE KEARNEY
olympics.com.au
If you are Melbourne come down and cheer on Jared!!
More information on the ceremony and how you can watch it:
When
Friday 17 June 2016
12.00pm arrival for a 12.15pm start
Where
Treasury Steps
Old Treasury Building
20 Spring Street
Melbourne, Victoria
If you can't be there, stay tuned for updates at @AUSOlympicTeam from 11:30am.
