Jared Tallent desperately wanted to be an Olympic champion for more than a couple of months.But if he had to come up just short in his 50km walk title defence, this was a much better sort of second.So often in the past, Tallent has been edged out for top spot at major walking races by athletes he knew were cheats.The outspoken Australian anti-doping campaigner only received the 50km gold medal from the 2012 London Olympics in June this year after Russian Sergey Kirdyapkin was finally stripped of the title for a drug offence.Tallent looked set to get his deserved moment in the sun in Rio on Friday when he hit the front at the 40km mark, only for his legs to go with just two of the 25 laps remaining.One lap later and he was mowed down by reigning world champion Matej Toth, who motored away to claim the gold in three hours 40 minutes and 58 seconds.It was Slovakias first summer Olympics gold medal in any sport other than canoe slalom.A flagging Tallent hung tough to grab the silver in 3:41:16.Hirooki Arai from Japan crossed the line in third spot but was later disqualified, handing the bronze medal to Tallents training partner Evan Dunfee from Canada.I really wanted it and I thought I had it, said Tallent.I probably got a bit too excited.I was feeling really good, I was patient all throughout the race and just when I needed to be a little more patient I went for it at the 40km mark.... I gave it everything.It would have meant so much to have held on and got the gold here.Tallent paid tribute to gold medallist Toth and the other contenders.I didnt have to worry about any cheats in the race who were going to spoil the party for all the clean athletes, he said.It will be great to have a clean podium again and Ill be proud to stand up there with those other blokes.Its very different to London.There are no suspicions this time around.A sore hamstring prompted Tallent to withdraw from the 20km race earlier in the Games.The 32-year-old is the first Australian male track and field athlete to win four Olympic medals.Fellow Australian Chris Erickson set a PB of 3:48:40 to finish ninth and Brendon Reading was 39th on his Olympic debut.World record holder Yohann Diniz set the early pace, only to collapse at the 35km mark.The Frenchman got up to finish seventh, almost six minutes off the pace.Replica Shoes Wholesale . 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Vettel, who has already clinched his fourth straight F1 title, enters the finale with a chance to equal Michael Schumachers 13 victories in a year and match the record of nine consecutive wins by Alberto Ascari in the 1952 and 1953 seasons.LOS ANGELES -- Kobe Bryant admitted to watching a few games during the first week of the NBA season. But playing again? Not a chance. He doesnt miss it.Not even a little bit, Bryant said Tuesday morning at the launch of his latest signature Nike shoe, the Kobe A.D.Its strange to think a couple years ago, to be in this emotional space would be unfathomable. But I mean not even a smidge, which Im very thankful for, because its made my transition seamless and I can really just watch and just enjoy the games.Bryant said he has thrown himself into his new business ventures during the first six months of his retirement from the NBA, while at the same time embracing the reality of his death as a basketball player. He decided to launch this latest shoe on Dia de los Muertos, Day of the Dead, in recognition of the transition stage he finds himself in, at age 38.What it means to me is the balance of both things, Bryant said of the Mexican holiday, which is also celebrated in Los Angeles. You gotta be able to have the balance between the light and the dark. Youve got to be able to have death in order to have life. Its finding the balance of both things and finding the beauty in both of those things.Asked how closely he has followed the NBA -- in particular the incredible individual performances by Anthony Davis, Russell Westbrook and Kawhi Leonard -- in the first week of the new season, Bryant said, Ive been followiing it.dddddddddddd I wouldnt say closely, but if Im home and I have a chance to put the game on, and Im home, Ill put the game on. I kind of know generally who is winning and who is losing.Players have been playing phenomenally well, which is rare. Normally at the start of the season you kind of have to work yourself into a rhythm. This year they just came out of the gates smoking. Thats rare.He also has followed the efforts by NBA players like Carmelo Anthony, LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Paul, to use their platform to promote social justice.I think its great. What Ive tried to do on the back end of that is help the youth understand what those issues are, Bryant said. What is the system that can help you understand what those issues are? Its one thing to say we need change, but what does that actually look like? What are the issues that we need to vote on and understand?When pressed on whether he would endorse a presidential candidate in the upcoming election, Bryant said, I think we dont all have to randomly guess the side of the fence that Im on. For those that support the opposite of what you believe my point of view should be -- and if youve known me for many years, I think you know which candidate Im supporting -- then God bless you man. Thats your point of view. ' ' '