Australian Champs Preview: NSW Women races walkers on the rise

24 March 2022

Australian Champs Preview: NSW Women races walkers on the rise

Next week NSW’s rising depth of talented junior women’s race walkers will chase places in the Australian team for the World U20 Championships. Could they be on the verge of returning NSW race walking to the top of the Australian rankings?

In the ‘90s and early ‘00s, NSW women’s race walking was the best in the World. Athletes Kerry Saxby-Junna and Jane Saville were household names. They were bolstered by others like Anne Manning, Lisa Paolini, Cheryl Webb and Natalie Saville.

Between 1985 and 2001, Kerry was a World-leading pioneer for race walking, setting over 30 World records and winning a staggering six world championship medals, plus two gold and a silver at the Commonwealth Games. Jane Saville won an Olympic medal in 2004 after missing the podium in 2000. She also won three consecutive Commonwealth gold. Another peak moment for NSW was at the 2006 Commonwealth Games where NSW went 1-2-3 with Jane Saville ahead of sister Natalie and Cheryl Webb.

But fast forward to the 2020s and NSW Junior women are on the improve. The Australian U20 Championship on Wednesday evening will feature NSW’s five rising stars. Each have particularly in 2022 provided some real highlights to give us hope of a new golden generation.

In February, Allanah Pitcher (MIN) placed third in the U20 10km Walk in Adelaide at the trial for the Australian team at the World Race Walking Teams Championships in Oman, earlier this month. At the world championships Allanah rose a notch, placing a fantastic seventh and helping the Australian team to silver. In Adelaide, placing fourth and missing the team by one position, was St George’s Emma Blanch in a PB time of 51:52. In January she won the NSW open 10,000m walk title. Fifth in Adelaide, Elizabeth McMillen would clean them all up at the NSW U20 5000m Championship, winning in 23:45.43, from Allanah and Emma. A training partner of Allanah, Hannah Bolton has been on the heels of the NSW athletes, clocking 52:31 in Adelaide. The fifth member of this wave of talent emerging is 16-year-old Milly Boughton. Unbeatable nationally in her own age, she was fifth in U20 10km walk race in Adelaide where she clocked a brilliant 52.18.

At the Nationals next week, they face quality competition from around Australia including race favourite and fifth place getter at the recent World Championships, SA’s Olivia Sandery. She is joined by Jared Tallent’s cousin Alanna Peart, and her Victorian team mate Char Hay.

The scenario is just two positions are available. The qualifying time for selection is 50:40, a mark already achieved by Olivia Sandery, Alanna Peart and NSW’s Allanah Pitcher.

With limited places on the line for the World U20 Championships this year it will be a great battle. But as they graduate to the senior ranks there are opportunities galore including World University Games, Commonwealths, World Race Walking Teams Champs, World Champs and Olympics.

This may not be their time, but the future is rosy for NSW women’s race walking.

David Tarbotton for Athletics NSW

Image: Allanah Pitcher (World Athletics Getty)