ALL SCHOOLS JUST GETS BETTER

Week 2 of the 2023 Victorian All Schools Track & Field Championships was a highly successful experience for the Diamond Valley Athletic Club juniors who competed at Lakeside. The 35 athletes (25 Female & 10 Male) won medals galore (23 in all – 5 Gold, 10 Silver and 8 Bronze) over the two day competition. These numbers when combined with Week 1 (33 athletes & 20 medals) highlight the talent that the juniors at DVAC possess. While the athletes did represent their school, they did compete with the support of the DVAC ‘family’ be they coaches, club helpers and friends.

GOLD MEDALS:

U15F Hammer Throw: Zoey Ryan (Viewbank SC) 40.23m (1^st)

U17F Javelin: Vanessa Smith (St Helena SC) 37.19m (1^st)

U17F 200m (Para): Kirra Wright (Assumption College) 33.97 (1^st)

U17F Long Jump (Para): Kirra Wright (Assumption College) 3.84m (1^st)

U17M Long Jump: Asher Andrews (Plenty Valley Christian College) 6.80m (1^st)

SILVER MEDALS:

U15F Hammer Throw: Hannah Rowe (Craigieburn SC) 38.96m (2^nd)

U16F Javelin: Ines Caton-Smith (Ivanhoe Grammar) 36.37m (2^nd)

U17F 800m: Ally Brooks (Eltham HS) 2:15.35 (2^nd); 2:21.15 (P)

U18F 400m Hurdles: Charlee Dickson (St Helena SC) 66.12 (2^nd)

U18F Hammer Throw: Keira Sanchez (Loyola College) 47.61m (2^nd)

U18F Javelin: Tara Smith (St Helena SC) 40.20m (2^nd)

U14M Javelin: Toby Hamilton (St Helena SC) 35.41m (2^nd)

U17M Javelin: Asher Andrews (Plenty Valley Christian College) 48.80m (2^nd)

U20M 200m (Para): Dillon Vidanapathirana (Warrandyte SC) 26.60 (2^nd)

U20M 800m (Para): Dillon Vidanapathirana (Warrandyte SC) 2:32.75 (2^nd)

BRONZE MEDALS:

U16F  200m: Maddy Meagher (Eltham College) 25.77 (3^rd); 26.40 (S); 26.57 (P);

U14F 800m: Matilda Johnson (Genazzano FCJ) 2:21.43 (3^rd); 2:28.91 (P)

U17F 400m Hurdles: Jamieson Lander (Our Lady of Mercy College) 66.62 (3^rd)

U17F Hammer Throw: Vanessa Smith (St Helena SC) 38.34m (3^rd)

U18F 200m: Katie Oliver (Montmorency SC) 26.52 (3^rd); 26.42 (P)

U18F 3000m: Matilda L’Estrange (Eltham College) 10:11.01 (3^rd)

U20F 800m: Sugi Neecowen (Our Lady of Mercy College) 2:30.91 (3^rd)

U15M Javelin: Chehan Udugampala (Aitkin College) 35.39m (3^rd)

DVAC CLUB HELPERS

DVAC is indebted to the following people for their generous support of DVAC and the junior athletes competing:

Long Jump: Paul Schofield, Andrea Meagher, Maryann Murray, Charmaine Smith, Nicole Dickson, Shania Murray

Lap Scoring: Shania Murray, Lyn Davis

AV OFFICIALS

The following DVAC members were busy across the weekend in their role as AV Officials: Paul Schofield, Jeff Hughes (apologies if any have been missed out.)

HIGHLIGHTS OVER THE WEEKEND:

• So many pb’s! The competition was so fierce that athletes reached new levels of performance in their endeavour to achieve the best outcome. Some of the personal best performances were massive improvements on their previous best result. Rather than provide an incomplete list, DVAC congratulates each athlete on their performance.
• Friendships new & old: It was common to see the DVAC juniors making friendships with their ‘opponents’ throughout the weekend. It was also great to see the support the DVAC crew gave to each other.
• Check in/ Call room dramas: There were certainly a few dramas in meeting the 60min Check in/ 20min Call room deadlines. All good practice for later Championships.
• Have Talent will Travel: A number of the DVAC athletes are planning to travel to Perth (8-11 December) for the Australian All Schools Track & Field Championships. Heidi Kuppler is booked to compete at the School Sport Australia National Championships for 10/11/12 Years in Launceston 24-27 November 2023.
• Qualifying Standards: A good number of DVAC juniors reached qualifying standards over the weekend to enable them to compete at the Australian Track & Field Championships in Adelaide 11-19 April 2024.

2023 Victorian All Schools Track & Field Championships

Saturday 4 November & Sunday 5 November 2023

Lakeside Stadium

DVAC Results:

Female:

Under 14:

200m: Jamie Ritchie (Eltham East PS) 26.42 (2^nd); 27.29 (S); 26.61 (P)

800m: Matilda Johnson (Genazzano FCJ) 2:21.43 (3^rd); 2:28.91 (P)

800m:Grace Robinson (Diamond Valley SC) 2:27.31 (10^th); 2:29.26 (P)

Long Jump: Liezel Cilliers (Glen Katherine PS) 4.83m (5^th)

Long Jump: Aylaa Arunan (Northside CC) 3.50m (24^th)

Javelin: Aylaa Arunan (Northside CC) 17.16m (17^th)

Under 15:

200m: Rebecca Hvalica (Ivanhoe Grammar) DNS (S); 26.46 (P);

Hammer Throw: Zoey Ryan (Viewbank SC) 40.23m (1^st)

Hammer Throw: Hannah Rowe (Craigieburn SC) 38.96m (2^nd)

Long Jump: Liv Nichols (Our Lady of Mercy College) 4.31m (16^th)

Under 16:

200m: Maddy Meagher (Eltham College) 25.77 (3^rd); 26.40 (S); 26.57 (P);

800m: Georgia L’Estrange (Montmorency SC) 2:32.44 (12^th); 2:27.75 (P)

Long Jump: Maddy Meagher (Eltham College) 5.04m (5^th)

Hammer Throw: Amelia Di Benedetto (St Monica’s College) 20.00m (5^th)

Javelin: Ines Caton-Smith (Ivanhoe Grammar) 36.37m (2^nd)

Javelin: Amelia Di Benedetto (St Monica’s College) 27.49m (6^th)

Under 17:

800m: Ally Brooks (Eltham HS) 2:15.35 (2^nd); 2:21.15 (P)

800m: Poppy Scot-Dalgleish (Viewbank SC) 2:17.28 (4^th); 2:20.93 (P)

400m Hurdles: Jamieson Lander (Our Lady of Mercy College) 66.62 (3^rd)

Hammer Throw: Vanessa Smith (St Helena SC) 38.34m (3^rd)

Javelin: Vanessa Smith (St Helena SC) 37.19m (1^st)

Under 17 (Para):

200m: Kirra Wright (Assumption College) 33.97 (1^st)

Long Jump: Kirra Wright (Assumption College) 3.84m (1^st)

Under 18:

200m: Olivia Sheens (Marymede CC) 27.52 (P)

200m: Katie Oliver (Montmorency SC) 26.52 (3^rd); 26.42 (P)

3000m: Matilda L’Estrange (Eltham College) 10:11.01 (3^rd)

400m Hurdles: Charlee Dickson (St Helena SC) 66.12 (2^nd)

Hammer Throw: Keira Sanchez (Loyola College) 47.61m (2^nd)

Hammer Throw: Tara Smith (St Helena SC) 42.31m (4^th)

Javelin: Tara Smith (St Helena SC) 40.20m (2^nd)

Under 20:

800m: Sugi Neecowen (Our Lady of Mercy College) 2:30.91 (3^rd)

Male:

Under 14:

800m: William Quigley (Hume Anglican Grammar) 2:18.33

800m: Kai Bunyard (Montmorency SC) 2:14.60 (9^th); 2:16.72 (P)

Javelin: Toby Hamilton (St Helena SC) 35.41m (2^nd)

Under 15:

800m: Nicholas Tomkins (St Helena SC) 2:11.67;

800m: Alexander Tomkins (St Helena SC) 2:22.10

3000m: Brodie Batt (Parade College) 10:00.5 (11^th)

Javelin: Chehan Udugampala (Aitkin College) 35.39m (3^rd)

Under 17:

3000m: Rhodri Whelan (Eltham HS) 9:48.58 (13^th)

Javelin: Asher Andrews (Plenty Valley Christian College) 48.80m (2^nd)

Long Jump: Asher Andrews (Plenty Valley Christian College) 6.80m (1^st)

Under 18:

Under 20 (Para):

200m: Dillon Vidanapathirana (Warrandyte SC) 26.60 (2^nd)

800m: Dillon Vidanapathirana (Warrandyte SC) 2:32.75 (2^nd)