Tim Watt: Nathan Deakes

Aussie walkers a brilliant and resilient crew...

"We walkers are the sleepers of this Olympic team," Deakes said from his training base in St Moritz. Along with Jane Saville and the stylish Luke Adams, Australia's race walkers are a brilliant and resilient crew who may ultimately emerge from Athens as the most successful event group.

Photos of the Dublin Grand Prix

Photos of the races on Sunday can be seen on the gallery page - wrte-up and results on the IAAF site.

IAAF Preview of Sesto San Giovanni

The fianl IAAF Race Walking Grand Prix event near Milan to feature Valentina Tsybulskaya, Kjersti Plätzer, Natalie Saville, Susanna Feitor, Maria Vasco and Susana Feitor and Elisa Rigaudo - who leads the women's overall standing of the 2004 IAAF Race Walking Challenge - in the women's 20km. The 20km race includes Nathan Deakes, Luke Adams, Aigars Fadejevs and the Italians Ivano Brugnetti (the 1999 World 50km champion) and Alessandro Gandellini. The latter two are the local favourites, who were born and grew up in Sesto San Giovanni.

Stars bare all for gold and glory

Race walker Jane Saville and cyclist husband Matt White appear nude for their country in an Olympic edition of Black and White magazine dubbed The Athens Dream , as do diving duo Chantelle Michell and Robert Newbery. Nathan Deakes also drop the green and gold for a more natural look.

Deakes embarks on Olympic journey

Nathan Deakes to race a week apart in Milan and Dublin, as he will in Athens