Hayward wins Australian 20km walk title

Sunday, 10 February 2019:

Teenager Katie Hayward has shot to third on the national alltime list with her victory at the Australian 20km walk championships.

In her debut race over the distance, Hayward clocked one hour 29 minutes and 25 seconds, the fastest ever by an Australian woman on home soil.

It also lifted the 18-year-old Queenslander to third on the Australian alltime list behind only Jane Saville and Claire Tallent.

Rio Olympics bronze medallist Dane Bird-Smith won the men's 20km title in 1:20:52 in Adelaide despite crossing the line second behind Perseus Karlstrom from Sweden.

Hayward and Bird-Smith's winning times on Sunday were both well under the qualifying standards for the world athletics championships in Doha later this year.

Morgan McDonald was the standout Australian performer at the prestigious Millrose Games indoor meet in New York.

McDonald finished a close second behind American Grant Fisher in the 3000m in 7:42.76, moving him to second on the Australian alltime list.

Pat Tiernan was fifth.

Ethiopian Yomif Kejelcha was one hundredth of a second outside the great Hicham El Geurrouj's 22-year-old indoor mile world record with his winning effort of 3:48.46.

Australian Ollie Hoare was seventh in 3:54.83.






AAP