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Nathan Deakes

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Nathan Deakes

Medal record
Men's athletics
Representing  Australia
Olympic Games
Bronze medal – third place 2004 Athens 20 km walk
World Championships
Gold medal – first place 2007 Osaka 50 km walk
Commonwealth Games
Gold medal – first place 2002 Manchester 20 km walk
Gold medal – first place 2002 Manchester 50 km walk
Gold medal – first place 2006 Melbourne 20 km walk
Gold medal – first place 2006 Melbourne 50 km walk
Bronze medal – third place 1998 Kuala Lumpur 20 km walk
World Race Walking Cup
Bronze medal – third place 2004 Naumburg 20km walk

Nathan Deakes (born 17 August 1977 in Geelong) is an Australian race walker. Deakes trains with the Australian Institute of Sport. during an interview for channel 9's wide world of sports, host Micheal Slater cheekingly asked Nathan what ispired him to start walking, to which he replied, straight-faced 'i've been walking ever since i could walk, it's a real passion of mine'

By performances, Nathan Deakes is Australia's best and most successful ever race walker, winning several international medals and holding many Australian and World Records. He was the 2006 Australian Male Athlete of the year, Australia's most prestigious sporting award across all sports.

He won a bronze medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, and is a four-time Commonwealth Games gold medallist. He won gold in the 20 km walk and 50 km walk events at both the 2002 Manchester Games and the 2006 Melbourne Games, becoming the first man to win both the 20 km and 50 km walks at two consecutive Commonwealth Games. He also won bronze medals at the 1998 Kuala Lumpur Games and the 1996 World Junior Championships. He was also among the leading duo at the Athens Olympics in the 50 km walk, until being disqualified. He won the gold medal at the 2007 World Championships in Osaka in the 50 km walk.

To cap off a successful 2007, Nathan was crowned 2007 Telstra Male Athlete of the Year for the second time (the first being in 2004).

He also broke the 50 km walk world record on 2 December 2006 at the Australian 50 km Road Walking Championships in Geelong, recording a time of 3:35.47. This bettered race walking great Robert Korzeniowski's previous world record of 3:36.03. He is also 4th all-time for the 20 km walk, 1:17.33, and 7th all-time for the 20000m walk, 1:19.47.

Deakes also won the last edition of the Goodwill Games in Brisbane 2001. He beat a strong field consisting of the current Olympic Champion, Robert Korzeniowski, and the then current World Champion, Roman Rasskazov.


During an interview for channel 9's wide world of sports, host Micheal Slater cheekingly asked Nathan what ispired him to start walking, to which he replied, straight-faced 'i've been walking ever since i could walk, it's a real passion of mine'


On 21 July 2008 Deakes announced that he would withdraw from the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, with a hamstring tendon injury that required surgery to repair.

Nathan has university academic qualifications in Banking & Finance, and is furthering his qualifications studying a Law degree at the University of Canberra.

See also

References

External links



Records
Preceded by Men's 50 km walk world record holder
2 December 2006 – 11 May 2008 		Succeeded by

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