Nathan Deakes
Encyclopedia
Nathan Deakes (born 17 August 1977 in Geelong) is an Australian race walker
. Deakes trains with the Australian Institute of Sport
.
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
.
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
.
Race walking
Racewalking, or race walking, is a long-distance athletic event. Although it is a foot race, it is different from running in that one foot must appear to be in contact with the ground at all times...
. Deakes trains with the Australian Institute of Sport
Australian Institute of Sport
The Australian Institute of Sport is a sports training institution in Australia with world class facilities and support services. The Institute's headquarters is situated in Canberra, the capital city of Australia. The 66.0 hectare site campus is in the northern suburb of Bruce, but some of the...
.
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
2004 Summer Olympics
The 2004 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, was a premier international multi-sport event held in Athens, Greece from August 13 to August 29, 2004 with the motto Welcome Home. 10,625 athletes competed, some 600 more than expected, accompanied by 5,501 team...
in Athens, and is a four-time Commonwealth Games
Commonwealth Games
The Commonwealth Games is an international, multi-sport event involving athletes from the Commonwealth of Nations. The event was first held in 1930 and takes place every four years....
gold medallist. He won gold in the 20 km walk and 50 km walk events at both the 2002 Manchester Games
2002 Commonwealth Games
The 2002 Commonwealth Games were held in Manchester, England from 25 July to 4 August 2002. The XVII Commonwealth Games was the largest multi-sport event ever to be held in the UK, eclipsing London's 1948 Summer Olympics in numbers of teams and athletes participating.After the 1996 Manchester...
and the 2006 Melbourne Games
2006 Commonwealth Games
The 2006 Commonwealth Games were held in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia between 15 March and 26 March 2006. It was the largest sporting event to be staged in Melbourne, eclipsing the 1956 Summer Olympics in terms of the number of teams competing, athletes competing, and events being held.The site...
, 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
1998 Commonwealth Games
The 1998 XVI Commonwealth Games were held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from 11 September to 21 September 1998 making it the first Asian country to act as host and the last Commonwealth Games for the 20th century. A record 70 nations supplied 3638 athletes...
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
2007 World Championships in Athletics
The 11th World Championships in Athletics, under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations , were held at Nagai Stadium in Osaka, Japan from 24 August to 2 September 2007...
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
World record progression 50km walk men
The following table shows the World Record Progression in the Men's 50 km Walk, as recognised by the IAAF.-World Record Progression:- Note :...
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
Robert Korzeniowski
Robert Korzeniowski is a former Polish racewalker. He has won four gold medals at the Summer Olympics and three at world championships....
'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
Goodwill Games
The Goodwill Games was an international sports competition, created by Ted Turner in reaction to the political troubles surrounding the Olympic Games of the 1980s...
in Brisbane 2001. He beat a strong field consisting of the current Olympic Champion, Robert Korzeniowski
Robert Korzeniowski
Robert Korzeniowski is a former Polish racewalker. He has won four gold medals at the Summer Olympics and three at world championships....
, and the then current World Champion, Roman Rasskazov
Roman Rasskazov
Roman Rasskazov is a Russian race walker.-Achievements:-External links:...
.
On 21 July 2008 Deakes announced that he would withdraw from the 2008 Summer Olympics
2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...
in Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
, with a hamstring
Hamstring
In human anatomy, the hamstring refers to any one of the three posterior thigh muscles, or to the tendons that make up the borders of the space behind the knee. In modern anatomical contexts, however, they usually refer to the posterior thigh muscles, or the tendons of the semitendinosus, the...
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
University of Canberra
Over the years the Stone Day program has gradually become larger and larger, taking up a whole week and now Stonefest is one of Australia's most popular music festivals. The first foundation celebrations were held in 1971. In 1973 Stone Day celebrations were held over two days, which was expanded...
.