Human Interest |
Further Personal Information |
Residence |
Adelaide, SA, AUS |
Sport Specific Information |
Club / Team |
Team Tempo: Adelaide, SA, AUS |
Further Personal Information |
Higher education |
Physical Education - University of Canberra: Australia |
General Interest |
Injuries |
In late 2015 and early 2016 he was troubled by hamstring injuries. (IAAF, 08 May 2016)
In July 2009 he suffered a shin injury that hampered his training ahead of the 2009 World Championships in Berlin, Germany. (IAAF, 12 Oct 2015)
In 2004 he suffered a femoral [leg] stress reaction. (Athletics Australia, 21 Aug 2007) |
Other sports |
He has competed in triathlon at national level in Australia. (Athletics Australia, 21 Aug 2007) |
Famous relatives |
His wife Claire competed in athletics [20km walk] at the Olympic Games in 2008 and 2012. His younger sister Rachel represented Australia in race walking at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. (athletics.com.au, 08 Sep 2019; SportsDeskOnline, 23 Nov 2018; abc.net.au, 06 May 2016 |
Most influential person in career |
His parents. (AIS, 06 Sep 2007) |
Hero / Idol |
Australian motor racing driver Mark Webber. (AIS, 06 Sep 2007) |
Ambitions |
To win a gold medal at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. (tokyo2020.org, 03 Apr 2020) |
Awards and honours |
He was named the 2013 Male Athlete of the Year by Athletics Australia. (thecourier.com.au, 16 Nov 2013)
In 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2013 he was named Sportsperson of the Year in Ballarat, VIC, Australia. He shared the 2012 award with wheelchair rugby player Greg Smith. (thecourier.com.au, 12 Feb 2014; thecourier.com.au, 02 Feb 2011)
He was named the 2008 20km Race Walker of the Year by the International Association of Athletics Federations [IAAF]. (heraldsun.com.au, 23 Sep 2008)
He has been presented with the Order of Australia Medal [OAM]. (Facebook page, 04 Feb 2020) |
Sport Specific Information |
Name of coach |
Adam Didyk [club], AUS |
When and where did you begin this sport? |
He took up the sport through Little Athletics in Australia. |
Further Personal Information |
Occupation |
Athlete |
General Interest |
Nicknames |
JT (rio2016.olympics.com.au, May 2016) |
Other information |
ONE MORE YEAR He was planning to quit the sport after the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo but he postponed his retirement after the Games were rescheduled for 2021. "Basically, because I've been going on for these four years now, there's no way I can retire now with it being delayed for one more year. I was leading in Rio [2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro] with only two kilometres to go and unfortunately got overtaken on the last lap." (tokyo2020.org, 03 Apr 2020)
BELATED GOLD In March 2016 the Court of Arbitration for Sport [CAS] upheld an International Association of Athletics Federations [IAAF] appeal to annul the results of six Russian athletes who had been banned for doping, ruling the Russian Anti-Doping Agency [RUSADA] had been selective in their disqualification periods. This included Sergey Kirdyapkin, who was stripped of his gold medal in the 50km walk at the 2012 Olympic Games in London. Tallent had claimed the silver medal in the race, so was upgraded to gold. He later organised a mock medal-giving ceremony for himself in his garden, which he recorded a video of for his fans. "I have believed I was the winner ever since I finished the race, that I was the real winner on the day. This outcome allows me to celebrate a moment that every athlete dreams of." (guardian.com, 26 May; abc.net.au, 07 May 2016; bbc.com, 24 Mar 2016)
CHILDHOOD ACCIDENT At age two he lost the index finger of his right hand after an accident with a potato grading machine. (rio2016.olympics.com.au, May 2016; jaredtallent.com, Aug 2012)
FURTHER EDUCATION He studied financial planning at RMIT University in Melbourne, VIC, Australia. (rio2016.olympics.com.au, May 2016) |
Further Personal Information |
Family |
Wife Claire, son Harvey [2017] |
Languages |
English |
General Interest |
Sporting philosophy / motto |
"Never worry about what you have or have not done in the past. It is all about what you can do from that moment forwards." (IAAF, 12 Oct 2015) |
Milestones |
In 2016 he became the first male representing Australia to claim four medals in athletics at the Olympic Games when he claimed silver in the 50km walk in Rio de Janeiro. He had previously won gold [2012] and silver [2008] in the same event and bronze in the 20km walk in 2008. (SportsDeskOnline, 19 Aug 2016) |