Montag breaks national record held for 18 years
While Olympian race walker Jemima Montag achieved her immediate goal of winning the women’s Oceania and Australian 20km Race Walking Championship title in Adelaide last Sunday to automatically secure her spot for the World Athletics Championships in Oregon in July, she ended up achieving so much more.
Two days shy of her 24th birthday, Montag created history when winning her third consecutive national crown by posting a PB of 1 hour, 27 minutes and 27 seconds, to break a national record – set in 2004 by Jane Saville – by 13 seconds.
The best part was she went into the race not expecting to achieve that time, yet had the courage to take advantage of a brilliant start to make it possible.
And her reaction at the finish line – a beaming smile accompanied by a fist pump – was priceless.
Immediately after the race, Montag described setting a new national record as feeling “surreal”.
After a day’s reflection, she told The AJN exactly what it meant to her, and revealed what was going on in her mind mid-race.
Describing Saville – an Olympic bronze medalist – as “the name every Australian brings up when I tell them that I do race walking”, the Jewish Melburnian said to edge her national record now is exciting.
“It feels like I’m joining a very rich history in Australian race walking, alongside the likes of Deakes, Saxby, Tallent and Saville – all of whom I aspired to be like as a junior.”
Only six months ago, in extremely hot and humid conditions in Sapporo, Japan – in her Olympic Games debut – Montag impressed by finishing 6th in a time of 1:30.39.
While a 7am start and more hospitable conditions in Adelaide opened the door for an even faster time, Montag revealed, “I didn’t know that I was in this sort of form, and my coach [Brent Vallance] and I hadn’t discussed the national record before race time.
“There are so many stars that have to align for a record attempt to be pulled off – and during the first 5km on Sunday, we both realised that this was the moment and it had to be taken!
“It felt scary to be walking at record pace halfway through, due to fears of the unknown – what if I blew up [ran out of energy] in the second half?
“But as I’m coming to realise, these races are all about mental dialogue, and being able to recognise and respond to our thoughts.
“When I noticed this fear, I told myself to focus more on my perception of effort, rather than allowing the numbers to give me a sense of imposter syndrome.
“Before I knew it, we were within 4km to go, and the self-belief finally kicked in!”
Montag reached the finish line more than 4 minutes ahead of Tokyo Olympics teammate Rebecca Henderson, of Victoria, and six minutes in front of Queenslander Clara Smith.
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