Race walker Dane Bird-Smith in medal hunt at Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games

RACE walker Dane Bird-Smith has never started a race without intending to win and says his competitors at the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games will need to bring their A-game to beat him.

Race walker Dane Bird-Smith.

RACE walker Dane Bird-Smith has never started a race without intending to win it and he says his competitors at the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games will need to bring their A-game to beat him.

The 25-year-old, who was born on the Redcliffe Peninsula and is son to dual Olympic race walker Dave Smith, is in the midst of intensive training at Rainbow Beach in the lead-up to the Games, which start on April 4.

“For me leading into the Commonwealth Games, (the goal) 100 per cent is I want that gold medal. I want to make a statement on home turf that I’m here and I’ve got more than the world has seen yet and I’m going to be giving it a red-hot crack on the day,” Dane says.

He earned bronze at the Rio Olympics in the 20km walk with a time of 1:19.37 in 2016 and set a new personal best 1:19:28 at the World Championships in London last year.

Race walker Dane Bird-Smith takes a walk at Margate. Photo: Dominika Lis

In February, he was named Athletics Australia’s men’s Athlete of the Year following what Dane describes as a breakthrough year in 2016 and consolidation of his work in 2017.

“It’s absolutely awesome, getting an award like that is recognition of all the hard work we’ve put in,” he says. Dane was the first Aussie to cross the finish line at the Australian titles in February despite battling a bad flu.

“That was a very tough race. Physically it was very demanding because I was pushing through the pain of a flu, of a virus. It was in my joints, it was in my muscles,” he recalls.

Now, the focus is on preparing for the Commonwealth Games away from Brisbane and in testing conditions at Rainbow Beach.

It’s a strategy which has paid off so far, and he and father/coach Dave believe it will get him in the best possible shape to win gold.

“There’s going to be pretty huge hype (about the Games) and while it’s great to get amongst it and get excited for it, it can get a bit distracting for your training,” Dane says.

“We go there because the conditions are so harsh, the humidity and heat, and what we’re looking for is to be able to push our bodies. We’re really there for business.”

Dane’s hoping training in those conditions will give him an edge over tough competition from around the Commonwealth.

“Bring it on. These guys are going to have to bring their A-game. I’m looking to PB on the day or at least be in shape to PB, and depending on the conditions ... we’ll see how it goes.”

Race walking is deceptively tough on the body and Dane says the “burn” kicks in from the very start and athletes have to be able to kick it up a gear in the final stages while maintaining their technique.

Dave Smith with his son race walker Dane Bird-Smith. Photo: Dominika Lis

His dad, who has been coaching him since he was 16, says he’s a tough competitor with much more potential.

“He’s made himself one of our best ever race walkers and I put him up there with Nathan Deakes and Jarrod Tallent in a heartbeat and he’ll probably, with longevity in the event, be better than them,” Dave predicts.

“In a short space of time, he’s established himself as an elite athlete in the world. They know when Dane goes to compete overseas they’re in for a race.”