World Race Walk Championships.  Chihuahua, Mexico, 2010.

Tom Barnes, Melbourne University Athletics Club member and Melbourne University PhD student, has been selected for the Australian team to compete at the World Race Walk Championships next year in the 50km walk.  The event to be held in Chihuahua, Mexico in May 2010 is the pinnacle of race walking and this is the first time Tom will represent Australia in an open international event.

Tom’s teammates will be four Olympians: Jared Tallent, silver medalist at Beijing, 2007 World Champion Nathan Deakes, Luke Adams and Chris Erickson.  This is the strongest possible team Australia can send and the prospects for team success are high.  Speaking to Athletics Australia Tom said “I’m absolutely rapt with my selection.”  This honour comes on the back of a silver at the 50km Australian Race Walk Championships, held in Fawkner Park two weeks ago.

The life of a student athlete is not a simple one, juggling the demands of a research PhD at the Ludwig Institute with the rigors of training for a 50km event.  Support is provided by Melbourne University Sport and Melbourne University Athletics Club to assist with travel to championship events.  Tom is the current Australian University Games Champion and record holder in the 5000m walk and represented Australia in the 20km walk at the Universiade, the World University Games, in Belgrade this year.

Tom’s prospects are looking bright in the next few years with the New Delhi Commonwealth Games and the London Olympics clear goals for this promising student athlete.