2025 VICTORIAN TRACK & FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS: WEEK 2
Friday 21, Saturday 22 & Sunday 23 February 2025
Lakeside Stadium
It was a Championship filled with highlights for members of the Diamond Valley Athletic Club. The high level standard of competition provided lots of exciting action to watch over a weekend where the weather ranged from extremely hot to a heavy downpour on the Sunday.
DVAC athletes were in action every area of the arena and they were being called to the podium on a regular basis. Each athlete walked away from the experience of competing at Championship level richer for the experience.
DVAC athletes won a total of 30 medals (14 Gold, 9 Silver & 7 Bronze) over the three days of competition on Week #2. Combined with the 38 Medals won on Weekend #1 the DVAC medal haul totalled 68 across the Championships. Thirty five DVAC athletes (19 Female & 16 Male) competed at Lakeside Stadium on Weekend 2 of the Championships.
DVAC MEDAL WINNERS:
GOLD MEDALS:
Max Davidson: M17: 5000m Walk: 24:18.89
Toby Hamilton: M16: High Jump: 1.85m
Toby Hamilton: M16: Javelin: 42.01m
Kirra Wright: FP20: 100m: 16.20
Kirra Wright: FP20: 200m: 33.61
Kirra Wright: FP20: 400m: 82.07
Kirra Wright: FP20: Shot Put: 7.12m
Jordan Rudd: MP20: 200m: 26.11
Jordan Rudd: MP20: Long Jump: 5.17m
Lucy Johns: F17: 5000m Walk: 28:42.73
Matilda Johnson: F16: 800m: 2:17.70
Matilda Johnson: F16: 1500m: 4:37.34
Jamie Ritchie: F15: 100m: 12.14
Jamie Ritchie: F15: 200m: 25.07
SILVER MEDALS:
Tara Smith: FOpen: Javelin: 38.51m
Sarah Holmes: F17: 5000m Walk: 30:58.78
Saye Morris: MOpen: 100m: 10.52
Jaryd Clifford: MOpen: 1500m: 4:00.24
Toby Hamilton: M16: Pole Vault: 3.50m
Samuel Reeve: M16: 800m: 2:07.65
Jerome Nu’U M15: Shot Put: 13.28m
Dillon Vidanapathirana: Mopen AMB: 200m: 25.57
Jordan Rudd: MP20: 400m: 56.72
BRONZE MEDALS:
Vanessa Smith: FOpen: Javelin: 38.33m
Elyssia Kenshole: FOpen: Pole Vault: 4.00m
Linda Allen: FOpen: Triple Jump: 12.20m
Liezel Cilliers: F15: High Jump: 1.55m
Jerome Nu’U: M15: Discus: 39.76m
Dillon Vidanapathirana: Mopen AMB: 100m: 12.42
Dillon Vidanapathirana: Mopen AMB: 400m: 58.23
COURAGE AWARDS:
Each athlete who stepped out to compete at Lakeside has to have courage. For some the competition requires an extra dose of courage.
Max Davidson (M16) lined up to compete in the M17 5000m Walk hampered by a recent back injury and still managed to keep his wonderful ‘streak’ alive of winning at State & National level. “I could have been two minutes quicker if it wasn’t for the injury”, Max said after winning his event.
Elyssia Kenshole (FOpen) is back competing on the same Pole on which she suffered a significant injury in training two months ago. It took great mental strength but Elyssia cleared 4.00m to finish in third place.
Ayla Arunan (F14) is still recovering from an ankle injury but lined up for the Long Jump & Triple Jump.
JARYD’S ZIP TO SILVER
That well know kick down finish by Jaryd Clifford (MOpen) was back for all to see in the Final of the Men’s Open 1500m. Always handy, Jaryd Clifford (MOpen) had a pack of medal hungry athletes pushing towards the finish line but when Jaryd put the hammer down there was only one athlete preventing this T12 Para athlete from winning a State Championship.
SAYE MORRIS TAKES THE DVAC 100m RECORD
Saye Morris (MOpen) ran a 10:52 at Geelong in January this year but the 2.6m wind reading meant that he was unable to claim the DVAC record. At Lakeside Saye finished in second place in the Final of the 100m in a time of 10.52, but this time the wind reading was a kindly 1.7m/sec. This lowers the current club record, set by Saye at 10.65 to 10.52.
END TO END MAGIC
Toby Hamilton (M16) is a super talented athlete but even he must have been tested on Sunday when he contested the High Jump at one end of Lakeside Stadium as he also contested the Javelin at the other end. The Javelin started at 12:55pm and the High Jump at 12:30pm but still required some nimble footwork even if Toby finished up throwing Jav in his High Jump shoes. Toby won the High Jump (1.85m) and the Javelin (42.01m) to add to his Silver in Pole Vault (3.50m) and a leap of 5.36m in the Long Jump. Next weekend, Toby gets to put it all together again when he competes in the M16 Heptathlon at the Victorian Combined Events Championships.
SISTERS ARE DOIN IT … WITH THE JAVELIN
Roving reporter Mackenzie Genders caught up with sisters Tara Smith (U20) & Vanessa Smith (U18) after they medalled in the Open Female Javelin event. Tara won the Silver medal & Vanessa won the Bronze medal.
Mackenzie: What did we throw today?
Vanessa: PB at 38.33m.
Tara: and PB at 38.51m.
Mackenzie: Are we happy with today’s performance?
Tara: Yep.
Vanessa: Very happy as I had already thrown a pb on my first throw so the whole day was good!
PARA ATHLETES SUCCESS AT VIC CHAMPS
Over the course of Week 2 of this year’s Vic Champs the four DVAC Para athletes added a whopping 11 medals to the DVAC tally. J
Jaryd Clifford (T12) led the charge by winning Silver in the Open Men 1500m.
Kirra Wright (T36) won four Gold medals with her highest score of 84.44% coming in the 100m. When asked which Gold medal performance she valued the most, Kirra said, “Probably the 400m, because it hurts the most and I got a season best time.”
Dillon Vidanapathirana (MOpen AMB) won a Silver medal and two Bronze medals with his highest score of 85.82% coming in the 100m.
Jordan Rudd (T20) won two Gold medals and one Silver medal and his highest score of 88.55% came in the 1500m.
DVAC acknowledges the wonderful contribution made by these athletes.
PERSONAL BEST PERFORMACE LIST:
Below is a list of DVAC athletes who achieved personal best performances at the Vic Champs (Wk 2). Apologies for those left out.
Matilda Johnson F16 1500m 4:37.34 (DVAC club record)
Lucy Johns F17 5000m Walk: 28:42.73 (1st attempt at this event.)
Sarah Holmes: F17: 5000m Walk: 30:58.78
Inaya Bhardwaj: F14: 1500m: 5:36.44 (1st attempt at this event.)
Hayden Moon: MOpen: 100m: 11.42
Thomas Short: MOpen: 800m: 1:58.95 (National qualifier)
Colin Newman: MOpen: Shot Put: 13.42m (DVAC M40-44 Record)
Christos Kozaris: M16: 100m: 12.03
Christos Kozaris: M16: 200m: 24.05
William Quigley: M16: 1500m: 4:26.59
William Quigley: M16: 3000m: 9:36.40
Toby Hamilton: M16: Pole Vault: 3.50m
Jesse Porter: M15: 200m: 26.08
Samuel Reeve: M15: 800m: 2:07.65
Dillon Vidanapathirana: MOpen AMB: 100m: 12.42
Dillon Vidanapathirana: MOpen AMB: 200m: 25.57
Dillon Vidanapathirana: MOpen AMB: 400m: 58.23
Jordan Rudd: M P20: 400m: 56.72
Jordan Rudd: M P20: 1500m: 4:43.97
Jordan Rudd: M P20: Long Jump: 5.17m
THANKS GO TO THE FOLLOWING DVAC CLUB HELPERS
DVAC more than filled the allocated Club Helper duties over the three days of competition. The generosity of the DVAC community has been wonderful once again and each individual contribution is fully appreciated.
LUKE HAMILTON (2 shifts); MARYANN MURRAY (2 shifts); DARREN RUDD (2 shifts); DIANNA NU’U; SHARYN RITCHIE; ANDREW STIRLING; BROOKE RUDD; LUCINDA DERRETT (3 shifts); ARUNAN ARUMAINAYAGAM; LYN DAVIS, BEC QUIGLEY
2025 VICTORIAN TRACK & FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS
Friday 21, Saturday 22 & Sunday 23 February 2025
Lakeside Stadium
DVAC Results (Final):
Female OP
Hammer: Zoey Ryan 41.31m (11th); Lucinda Derrett 33.42m (15th); Briony Rheuben FOUL;
Javelin: Tara Smith 38.51m (2nd); Vanessa Smith 38.33m (3rd);
Pole Vault: Elyssia Kenshole 4.00m (3rd);
Triple Jump: Linda Allen 12.20m (+0.0) (3rd);
Female 17
5000m Walk: Lucy Johns 28:42.73 (1st); Sarah Holmes 30:58.78 (2nd);
Female 16
100m: Danika Coppola 13.39 (0.1) (P); Crissy Patroungas 14.27 (-0.5) (P);
800m: Matilda Johnson 2:17.70 (1st);
1500m: Matilda Johnson 4:37.34 (1st); Grace Robinson 5:05.22 (8th);
3000m: Grace Robinson 11:08.84 (5th);
Female 15
100m: Jamie Ritchie 12.14 (2.9) (1st); 12.32 (+0.0) (P);
200m: Jamie Ritchie 25.07 (0.1) (1st); 25.78 (0.8) (P);
High Jump: Liezel Cilliers 1.55m (3rd);
Female 14
400m: Eadie Raso 66.56 (P);
1500m: Inaya Bhardwaj 5:36.44 (8th);
Long Jump: Aylaa Arunan 4.20m (-0.6) (10th);
Triple Jump: Aylaa Arunan 8.86m (-1.6) (9th);
Male OP
100m: Saye Morris 10.52 (1.7) (2nd); 10.72 (-0.9) (S); 10.81 (-0.8) (P); James Hurley 12.17 (-0.5) (P); Hayden Moon 11.42 (0.2) (P);
200m: James Hurley 24.96 (2.0) (P);
400m: Jesse Madigan 51.34 (P);
800m: Thomas Short 1:58.95 (P);
1500m: Jaryd Clifford 4:00.24 (2nd); 3:56.05 (P);
Hammer: Colin Newman 37.57m (6th);
Long Jump: James Hurley 5.67m (-0.5) (17th);
Shot Put: Colin Newman 13.42m (6th);
Male 17
5000m Walk: Max Davidson 24:18.89 (1st);
Male 16
100m: Christos Kozaris 12.03 (0.4) (P);
200m: Christos Kozaris 24.05 (0.4) (P);
1500m: William Quigley 4:26.59 (17th);
3000m: William Quigley 9:36.40 (8th);
2000m Steeple: William Quigley 6:44.42 (5th);
High Jump: Toby Hamilton 1.85m (1st);
Javelin: Toby Hamilton 42.01m (1st);
Long Jump: Toby Hamilton 5.36m (+0.0) (8th);
Pole Vault: Toby Hamilton 3.50m (2nd);
Male 15
200m: Jesse Porter 26.08 (0.8) (P);
400m: Samuel Reeve 54.83 (4th); 54.50 (P);
800m: Samuel Reeve 2:07.65 (2nd);
3000m: Myles Boyle 9:50.69 (7th);
Discus: Jerome Nu'U 39.76m (3rd);
Shot Put: Jerome Nu'U 13.28m (2nd);
Female P20
100m: Kirra Wright 16.20 (-0.8) (1st);
200m: Kirra Wright 33.61 (1.4) (1st);
400m: Kirra Wright 82.07 (1st);
Shot Put: Kirra Wright 7.12m (1st);
Male AMB
100m: Dillon Vidanapathirana 12.42 (-1.6) (3rd);
200m: Dillon Vidanapathirana 25.57 (0.9) (2nd);
400m: Dillon Vidanapathirana 58.23 (3rd);
Male P20
200m: Jordan Rudd 26.11 (+0.0) (1st);
400m: Jordan Rudd 56.72 (2nd);
800m: Jordan Rudd 2:15.95 (5th);
1500m: Jordan Rudd 4:43.97 (5th);
Long Jump: Jordan Rudd 5.17m (4.5) (1st);
(Max Balchin - mbalchin29@bigpond.com)
