Golden girl walks to glory
AS the top-ranked female race walker in the world under the age of 18, Jemima Montag is odds-on favourite to win gold at the 9th International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) World Youth Championships in Cali, Colombia next week.
Montag leapfrogged from fourth to outright number one in the international 5km race-walk rankings after recording a sizzling 22 minute 4.29 second effort at the Australian youth team’s recent pre-departure camp.
Based on previous results at the biannual IAAF event, a repeat performance would be enough for Montag to be first across the finishing line, but the modest 17-year-old Melbourne athlete is quick to talk down her chances.
“You never know what happens on the day,” she told The AJN. “In race walking, there’s disqualification, reports, judges. I’m pretty confident; I’ve got a good ranking going in, but there’s lots of fast Russians.
“This is my third international competition, one of which was Maccabiah 2009, so I’m not petrified, just really excited to go.”
The year 11 Wesley College student is part of a 23-person Aussie team travelling to Colombia, including 100m runner Jack Hale, hammer thrower Ned Weatherly, and Clara Smith, who is also competing in the 5km race walk.
“Clara lives in Brisbane and for the past two summers I’ve flown there and we’ve done two weeks of intensive training together,” said Montag. “It’s great to have someone of equal ability — it keeps me on my toes and makes me want to train even harder.”
For the past four months Montag has been putting in 12 weekly training sessions ranging from walking, running and swimming to boxing, pilates and yoga, so there can be no question marks over her focus, competitiveness and commitment.
These all-important traits, passed down from her sports-obsessed parents, helped Montag discover the slightly obscure sport of race walking as a junior athlete, when technique and stamina came intuitively. Genetics also played its part.
“We’ve got quite hyperextended hips or something, my Grandma tells me,” she said.
“Walking was a fun sport, so I got a coach and it’s been a natural progression. I’ve got a really supportive training squad of about 10 to 15 people, and a great coach, Simon Baker, who’s been to four Olympics.”
Maccabi Australia has also been key to the development of a potential world champion. Montag’s parents, Ray and Amanda, met for the first time on a plane returning from 1993 Maccabiah Games.
Amanda was then pregnant with her eldest daughter at the 1997 Maccabiah Games, with both parents present at the bridge collapse, but emerging unscathed.
“My younger sister Piper and I have also been competing for Maccabi Athletics for five years with the seniors club,” said Montag.
“I played Maccabi soccer, as did she. Because we don’t go to a Jewish school, we try to be involved in sport so at least there’s some connection to the Jewish community.”
While representing her community and country in Colombia is at the forefront of Montag’s mind for now, walking on an even bigger stage isn’t that far away.
“The ultimate dream is the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo,” she said. “Walkers doesn’t really have an expiry date. As long as you’re interested and motivated, look after your body, you can just keep on going.”
ADAM BLAU
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