Friday, August 4
Jay Clark

THE world's fastest race walkers will be lured to Geelong with a
$10,000 challenge to beat Nathan Deakes on home soil.
Lee Troop has revealed plans to host the Australian 50km race
walking championships on Geelong's Waterfront on December 2.

The showpiece will be the first major athletics event staged in
Geelong in many years and is set to feature the world's best, with
$10,000 on offer to anyone who can beat Deakes.

``Nathan is obviously one of the best walkers in the world so anyone
who can beat him deserves every penny they get,'' Troop said.

``I just think this is a great way to promote Nathan, it's a great
way to promote his event and more importantly, it's a great way to
showcase Geelong.''

The race will be staged on a Saturday between 6.30am to 11.30am
before the Ron Clarke Classic later that evening as part of a three-
day athletics extravaganza.

The carnival will include an elite sportsmen's night on the
Thursday, while the Ron Clarke Classic, in its second year, will
feature world championship qualifying track events at Goldsworthy
Reserve, Corio.

The Nathan Deakes Walking Challenge will be raced over 20-25 laps
around a Waterfront course starting at The Wharfshed Cafe, past the
carousel, up to Cunningham Pier and Western Beach and back.

``We've got a beautiful course mapped out and from a spectators'
point of view it will be spectacular,'' he said.

``It will be just great to have the best take on Nathan in his home
town, in his own environment, in front of 10,000 parochial Geelong
people cheering him on.''

Deakes is arguably Australia's greatest walker, having won dual gold
medals at the 2002 and 2006 Commonwealth Games.

In Athens 2004 Olympics, he won bronze in the 20km.

Troop said Deakes was extremely excited at the prospect of racing
for the Aussie titles in Geelong.

``Deakesy is champing at the bit, he's so excited, he really wants
this event in Geelong because it really is a one-off,'' he said.

``What a way to enjoy the road to Beijing.''

Troop said he was in the final stages of organising sponsorship and
hopes to officially the confirm the event in two week's time.