Montag sets new mark
Race walker Jemima Montag (pictured) has already qualified for the 2024 Olympics.
Race walker Jemima Montag (pictured) has already qualified for the 2024 Olympics, and in last Sunday’s Oceania and Australian championships in Adelaide, she showed she is on track to go for gold in Paris.
The 25-year-old – who came sixth in her debut Olympics in Japan, and first at last year’s worlds – not only won the women’s 20km race in a world-class field, but finished in just 1 hour, 27 minutes, and 9 seconds, breaking her own Oceania and Australian record by 7 seconds.
Montag responded to acceleration at the 13.5km mark by eventual runner-up – reigning Olympic silver medallist from Colombia, Lorena Arenas (1:27:25) – by staying with her.
Four-time world champion, China’s Liu Hong, was third (1:27:44), and fellow Australian Rebecca Henderson fourth (1:30:40).
“I really did have to lift today,” Montag said. “The two women behind me were silver and bronze in Tokyo, so it was a great opportunity,” Montag said.
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