The main venue of the Beijing Olympics debuted on Friday with an Australian race-walker grabbing the gold of an IAAF Race Walking competition.

The 23-year-old Jared Tallent, winning in one hour 20 minutes and 11 seconds, was followed by a fierce Chinese competitor Wang Hao, the 18-year-old Inner Mongolian who created his personal best at 1:20:25. Eder Sanchez from Mexico placed third at 1:20:57.

Both Tallent and Wang were among the leading group in most time of the competition. They circled the track field three times before competing along the parkview boulevard outside the sports venue, with a monicker of the Bird's Nest for its interlocking frame and structure.

The IAAF Race Walking competition is one of the 42 test events before the Beijing Olympics in August. China sent the most athletes to the competition, which was also participated in by walkers from Australia, El Salvador, Japan, Mexico, South Korea, Sri Lanka and Tunisia.

(Xinhua News Agency April 18, 2008)