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Shannon Eckstein will chase him all the way, but after the opening four challenges, it is clear. Ken Wallace will become Australia’s Greatest Athlete.
Our man Paddy Kilmurray predicted a surprise win for Olympic K1- 500 Kayak champion Wallace when he previewed the contest, and his judgment is looking sound.
The power, all-round athleticism, and likeable rogue competitive nature of Wallace have been on display from the get-go.
He used a questionable start in the swimming challenge to his advantage, giving Eamon Sullivan a scare.
His next blurring of the rules moment came after Wallace’s gut-busting effort in the bench-press. It was a formidable performance, but he was rightly disqualified for a debatable technique in which he didn’t fully extending his arms.
However, even more impressive was when the big Kayaker was forced to back-up and again prove his might over Eckstein and the well-toned Kurt Gidley and Quade Cooper by winning the challenge.
The coming challenges cover a range of sports including jet-skiing, a 40m beach sprint (where Fabrice Lapierre is a special), surf boat rowing, AFL basketball, boxing, and the final all-round event.
Notably, Wallace has a wild card in that he is a keen jet-skier and will be chasing Mark Winterbottom hard in an event dominated by the V8 drivers.
The other key challenge will be the AFL kick for goal competition. Eckstein is a keen AFL boot, winning last season’s competition over Cameron Ling. Wallace, a New South Welshman who trained with Eckstein on the Gold Coast in his teen years, might not have such a handle on the Sherrin.
There is plenty of debate about the veracity of the contestants and the events chosen, as the influence of entertainment over science plays its part in the show.
However, other athletes were rumoured to contest the competition, but were unable due to commitments to their sports. Anthony Mundine, Sonny Bill Williams, Cadel Evans, Casey Stoner, Chad Reed and perhaps UFC’s George Sotiropoulos are just a few of the ideal contestants. It would also have been nice to see Mark Webber taking on the guys, rather than acting in his consulting role.
However, there’s no question each of the chosen athletes from Australia’s top flight sporting codes are giving it their all in these challenges.
Rexona - Australia's Greatest Athlete - sponsored post. Watch it on Sunday, at 4:30pm on Channel Seven