BUNDOORA PARK

2023 VICTORIAN ALL SCHOOLS CHAMPIONSHIPS

Bundoora Park,

Saturday July 22 2023

Eighteen junior members of the Diamond Valley Athletic Club (10 Girls & 8 Boys) represented their schools to compete in the 2023 Victorian All Schools Cross Country Championships. In the busiest day of Cross Country running for the year there were 1,063 students flying the colours of their school in the 6 different age groups that were set the challenge to cover distances of 3km, 4km or 6km over the hills of Bundoora Park. Despite gloomy weather predictions earlier in the week, the conditions were ideal and the course was in great shape.

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The Victorian All Schools Cross Country Championships act as the Selection Trials for the Victorian Cross Country team that will travel to Canberra to compete in the Australian Cross Country Championships on Saturday 26 August 2023. The selection process is based on finishing in the top ten in each age group or filling the next available place.

Five DVAC athletes have satisfied the selection process and can look forward to lining up at the Nationals in August.

Heidi Kuppler (Greenshills PS) crossed the line in second place in the Girls Under 14. Despite taking a short deviation from the set course in the last kilometre, Heidi was able to get back on course and hold her position through to the finish where she crossed in 10:48. Heidi had already secured a place at the Nationals with her win in the School Sport Victoria Girls 11 Year Old 3km race at the Yarra Glen Race Course on Thursday 13 July 2023.

Matilda Johnson (Genazzano College) quickly settled into a position in the lead pack of the field of 125 runners in the Girls Under 3km event and always looked in control of her race. Matilda finished in 6^th position and covered the 3km in a time of 11:02.

Jordan Rudd (Concord School) enjoyed the ideal conditions to set his best time over a 3km Cross Country course when he ran strongly throughout the distance to cross in 11:12. Jordan, a T20 athlete, was 1^stover the line in the Boys Under 20 Para race. Jordan continued his record of performing well in the big events and this was no exception.

All Brooks (Eltham HS) finished in 8^th position in a field of 66 in the Girls Under 17 4km race. Ally completed the 4km in 14:51 to secure her place in the Victorian team. Ally competed in the 2022 Australian Cross Country Championships in Adelaide.

Matilda L’Estrange (Eltham College) is another DVAC athlete to represent Victoria once again after finishing 7^th/62 in the Girls Under 18 4km race. Matilda established her position early on and ran a steady race to cross in 14:23.

FINGERS CROSSED

Rose Jarvis (CLC Eltham) finished in 11^th position in the Girls Under 15 4km event from a field of 89. Rose will be the next in line for selection should a place become available. Good luck, Rose.

COURAGE AWARDS

Everyone who steps up to the start line deserves a Courage Award – but when you are not feeling too well, then the courage required is so much greater. Lucy John (St Helena SC) & Ethan Armstrong-Bourne(Eltham HS) are two such athletes and both still got through to the finish line. Well done.

FRIENDSHIP ON THE LINE

Felix Morgan (Eltham HS) was standing on his own at the start of the Boys Under 15 race with 113 others when the Wesley coach adopted him and told his team to look after Felix because he didn’t have a big team like they did. Felix said that they were all really nice to him and he had a good chat to a few boys.

THANKS, ERIN

Erin Maloney (Macleod SC) race her best race for the season in the Girls Under 18 4km, covering the distance in 15:52 and finishing 24^th/62. BUT … Erin later helped out with the Timekeeping with Lyn Davis. Thanks, Erin.

Saturday July 22 2023

DVAC Results:

Girls U14 3km

Heidi Kuppler (Greenhills PS) Time: 10:48: Place: 2^nd/125

*Qualified for Australian All Schools Championships

Matilda Johnson (Genezzano) Time: 11:02: Place:­­­­­­­­­­­ 6^th/ 125

*Qualified for Australian All Schools Championships

Girls U15 4km

Rose Jarvis (CLC Eltham) Time: 15:05: Place: 11^th/89

Lucy John (St Helena SC) Time: 19:38: Place: 74^th/89

Girls U16 4km

Georgia L’Estrange (Montmorency SC) Time 16:11: Place: 21^st/64

Girls U17 4km

Ally Brooks (Eltham HS) Time: 14:51: Place: 8^th/66

*Qualified for Australian All Schools Championships

Poppy Scot-Dalgleish (Viewbank SC) Time: 15:32: Place: 16^th/64

Girls U18 4km

Matilda L’Estrange (Eltham College) Time: 14:23: Place: 7^th/62

*Qualified for Australian All Schools Championships

Erin Maloney (Macleod SC) Time: 15:52: Place: 24^th/62

Girls U20 6km

 Sugi Neecowen (OLMC) Time: dnf

Boys U14 3km

William Quigley (Hume Anglican)* Time: 10:23: Place 17^th/146

Kai Bunyard (Montmorency SC)* Time: 10:42: Place 35^th/146

Juan Herrera (Montmorency SC)* Time: 10:49: Place 40^th/146

Logan Armstrong-Bourne (Eltham HS) Time: 10:59: Place 52^nd/146

(* Training members)

Under 20 Para Boys 3km:

Jordan Rudd (U17) (Concord School) Time: 11:12: Place: 1^st/2

*Qualified for Australian All Schools Championships

Men U15 4km

Felix Morgan (Eltham HS) Time: 14:47: Place: 54^th/114

Jack Daley (St Helena SC) Time: 15:28: Place: 74^th/114

Men U16 4km

Ethan Armstrong-Bourne (Eltham HS) Time: 13:24: Place: 32^nd/117

Patrick Knight (Eltham College) Time: 15:04: Place: 75^th/117

Glen Imbriano (Whitefriars College) Time: 16:17: Place: 99^th/117

Men U17 6km

Rhodri Whelan (Eltham HS) Time: 23:17: Place 37^th/76