Pitcher marches to brave beat in World Champs gruelling heat

Australia’s quest for glory continued on Day Six of the World Athletics Championships, as the country’s race walkers and middle-distance stars displayed their ambitions on the track and road in Budapest, Hungary.

A rising star of Australian race walking held her own over a gruelling 35km course at Heroes Square, as 19-year-old New South Wales Institute of Sport (NSWIS) scholarship athlete Allanah Pitcher placed 21st overall amongst an experienced pack of endurance athletes.

The self-confessed “baby of the race,” the talented teen crossed the line emphatically in a time of 2:57:55, ecstatic to maintain consistency in her first global race at the Senior ranks.

“I made it to the end!” said Pitcher.  “It was tough out there, and I think I was a little bit too excited and went out too fast for the conditions and I felt that towards the end in the last 10km, but I did a great job of keeping the emotions in control and fighting through the discomfort of the event.”

With the 35km event not included on the Olympic program, Pitcher will now refocus her efforts on the shorter distance of 20km, having whet her appetite for wearing the green and gold.

“The anticipation for this has been building for so long for this event. It’s a dream come true to be representing Australia and now that I’m here, I am very keen to see what I’m able to do over the next little while.”

Amongst rising temperatures and taxing humidity, Australian team co-captain Rhydian Cowley (VIC) was forced to withdraw from the race, collapsing onto the road with just seven kilometres to go. Standing up shaky before exiting the iconic course, the two-time Olympian cited exhaustion and fatigue, lingering from his 14th placing in the 20km race on Day One of competition.

Australian record holder Joseph Deng (VIC) was bold in his bid to book his ticket to a maiden global final, tearing off the opening bend in Semi-Final 1 of the Men’s 800m in an attempt to take command in the two-lap showdown.

Ensuring an honest pace when leading through the bell, Deng’s aggressive approach started to weigh down on the 25-year-old on the back straight, fading to eighth place in a time of 1:48.12 at his first representative appearance since the 2018 Commonwealth Games.

“I came here to have a crack, and I had a crack and tonight, a better man beat me on the day. I came to Europe chasing the Olympic qualifier and got that, and got to the Semi-Finals of my first World Championships so I’m walking away successful, I would say,” Deng said.

Middle-distance supremo Stewart McSweyn (TAS) is through to the Men’s 5000m Final, but his pathway to progression was not without drama.

In a jostling affair, the Tasmanian navigated his way through the pack but was clipped as the race reached its closing stages, stumbling down onto the track. McSweyn fought on, completing the race in 13:58.81 for 19th place, before being advanced to the final by the referee.

Tokyo Olympian Morgan McDonald (NSWISmarked his return to Australian representation, clocking 13:43.58 to finish 16th in Heat 2, in only his second race of the year.

The 2023 World Athletics Championships run until August 27. Australian audiences can watch all sessions live and free on SBS VICELAND, SBS On Demand and beIN Sport.

Story and photo courtesy of Athletics Australia