VALLEY ATHLETES SET NEW MEDAL TALLY RECORD AT VIC CHAMPS
By the end of Day 6 of the 2024 Victorian Track & Field Championships the 55 DVAC athletes who had competed over the two weekends of competition had won a total of 48 medals (18 Gold, 16 Silver and 14 Bronze). This tally set a new record for the Diamond Valley Athletic Club with the previous best medal haul coming in 2023 when the DVAC athletes collected a total of 40 medals. In 2022 DVAC athletes won 22 medals.
Weekend 2 of the 2024 Championships saw 22 DVAC athletes step onto the podium to collect a medal which added to the 26 medals won in Weekend 1. The 22 medals in Weekend 2 featured 8 Gold, 8 Silver and 6 Bronze. There were 39 DVAC athletes (26 Female and 13 Male) who took part in the program at Lakeside in Weekend 2. This week the DVAC Track athletes collected 15 medals and the DVAC Field athletes collected 7 medals.
The experience of Championship competition was of value to each athlete in their development. There were many personal best efforts recorded as well as new friendships formed throughout the three days of competition. The Diamond Valley Athletic Club filled its Club Helper roster across the weekend and there was a strong DVAC presence among the AV Officials. AV must be congratulated on running another outstanding Championship series.
YOU NEED MORE MEDALS … CALL ON THE WALKERS!
At the start of the final day DVAC still needed four more medals to equal the tally from the 2023 Championships. Early in the day, three DVAC Junior Walks athletes – Lucy Johns (F16), Jaime Hvalica (M15) and Max Davidson (M16) went close to wiping out the medal deficit in one race. All three athletes emerged from the race as Gold medallists. Max Davidson (14:16.47) and Lucy Johns(16:28.21) sliced time off their previous best efforts. Jaime Hvalica and Max Davidson successfully defended their Victorian titles from the previous year.
SMITH SISTERS IN RARE FORM
It was so close to Gold Medals all round in the Javelin as Tara & Vanessa Smith threw themselves into best ever form at Lakeside. Tara had the Gold medal in the F20 Javelin (600g) in her keeping until the last throw of the competition as she led the field with a best ever throw of 35.77m. Then her throw was bettered on the last throw and Tara had to be settle with the Silver medal.
Vanessa Smith, F18, threw the 500g Javelin 38.14m to claim the Gold medal with a big personal best effort.
BACKING UP WITH GOLD
Talented Valley juniors, Toby Hamilton (M15) and Jamie Ritchie (F14) have won Gold medals on both Weekends of the Victorian Championships.
Toby Hamilton (M15) won the Gold medal in the High Jump (1.70m) in Weekend 1 of the Vic Champs and backed up in Weekend 2 by winning the Javelin (700g) with a throw of 36.18m. This was over two meters better than Toby had thrown the 700g Javelin before!
Jamie Ritchie backed up from her win in the 100m (12.69) on the first Weekend by taking the Gold medal in the 200m on Weekend 2. After qualifying with the fastest time (26.50) in the Heats, Jamie clocked 26.18 in the final to win comfortably.
PB TIMES NO HURDLE FOR CHARLEE & JAMIESON
Charlee Dickson (F20) and Jamieson Lander (F18) have each registered significant personal best times in the 400m Hurdles on their way to winning medals.
Charlee Dickson worked hard around the 10 Hurdles to lower her time for the 400m Hurdles to 64.92 on her way to winning the FU20 Silver medal.
Jamieson Lander came home strongly to win the F18 400m Hurdles in a new best time of 65.95.
DILLON & JORDAN’S CHAMPIONSHIP TO REMEMBER
Dillon Vidanapathirana (T20) and Jordan Rudd (T20) each had unbelievably good results at this year’s Victorian Championships. Over the two weekends the two athletes produced five personal best performances each and collected 7 medals between them.
Jordan won a Gold medal in the Male P20 200m when he scorched down the home straight to cross in 26.75. This was a personal best time and his highest percentage score of 80.18% using the Baseline scoring system for Para Scoring. Jordan’s other pb’s for the Championships came in the 400m – 2nd in 59.79; Long Jump – 3rd with 3.58m; 800m – 5th in 2:19.5; & 1500m – 5th in 4:53.86.
Dillon won Silver medals in the 200m (26.30), 800m (2:28.78); & 400m (59.40). He also won a Bronze medal in the 100m (12.75) and did the Long Jump where he finished 5th with a leap of 3.90m. Dillon’s highest % score came in the 100m with a score of 83.60%.
OTHER WEEKEND 2 MEDAL WINNERS
Silver Medals:
Ally Brooks: F18 800m: 2:13.01
Heidi Kuppler: F15 3000m: 10:12.68
Aylaa Arunan: F13 Javelin: 19.80m
Kirra Wright (T38) 200m: 40.79
Bronze Medals:
Elyssia Kenshole: F OP Pole Vault: 1.80m
Maddy Meagher: F17 200m: 26.06
Oli Oldfield: F15 800m: 2:17.90
Aylaa Arunan: F13 Javelin: 22.29m
Kai Bunyard: M15 800m: 2:08.67
Alexandra Mills: FOP Discus 41.24m
PB CHATLINE …
In no particular order & apologies to any missed athletes (please let me know) there were personal best performances from:
3000m: Erin Maloney (F20) 10:51.54; Cameron Ellis (M18) 9:04.77; Rhodri Whelan (M18) 9:48.10; Rose Jarvis (F16) 10:43.73
800m: Matilda Johnson (F15) 2:18.72; Georgia L’Estrange (F17) 2:26.68; Ethan Armstrong-Bourne(M17) 2:04.32; Thomas Short (M17) 2:04.56; Kai Bunyard (M15) 2:08.67; Oli Oldfield (F15) 2:17.90
Javelin: Amelia Di Benedetto (F17) 28.49m
Discus: Chehan Udugampala (M16) 44.14m; Amelia Di Benedetto (F17) 27.65m
Triple Jump: Ayalaa Arunan (F14) 9.20m; Harley Gilbert (M20) 11.99m; Toby Hamilton (M15) 10.93m
A HUGE THANK YOU …
DVAC filled its Club Helper duty allocation totalling 17 hours with distinction over the weekend at Lakeside thanks to the support of the following:
Sarah Gittins, Chris Whelan, Amanda Smith, Kate Ryan, Luke Hamilton, Andrea Meagher, Maryann Murray, David Hvalica, Tim Johns
DVAC’s - AV Officials over the Championships: Jeff Hughes, Paul Schofield, Andrew Stirling, Keira Sanchez, David Armstrong, Jane Lacock, Rick Clarke
2024 Victorian Track & Field Championships
Fri 1, Sat 2 & Sun 3 March 2024
Lakeside Stadium
DVAC Results:
Female:
Female OP
200m: Keely Boyne 25.29 (-0.8) (8th); 24.98 (-2.2) (S); 25.32 (-1.3) (P);
Discus: Alexandra Mills 41.24m (6th);
Javelin: Vanessa Smith 35.40m (4th); Tara Smith 27.74m (10th);
Pole Vault: Elyssia Kenshole 3.80m (3rd); Alana Green 3.50m (6th);
Female 20
3000m: Erin Maloney 10:51.54 (8th);
400m Hurdles: Charlee Dickson 64.92 (2nd);
Javelin: Tara Smith 35.77m (2nd);
Female 18
800m: Ally Brooks 2:13.01 (2nd); 2:17.88 (P);
400m Hurdles: Jamieson Lander 65.95 (1st);
Javelin: Vanessa Smith 38.14m (1st);
Female 17
200m: Maddy Meagher 26.06 (1.1) (3rd); 26.39 (1.3) (P);
800m: Georgia L'Estrange 2:26.68 (P);
3000m: Georgia L'Estrange 11:22.04 (5th);
Discus: Amelia Di Benedetto 27.65m (5th);
Javelin: Amelia Di Benedetto 28.49m (6th);
Female 16
200m: Rebecca Hvalica 26.39 (-0.5) (4th); 26.62 (0.5) (P);
3000m: Rose Jarvis 10:43.73 (5th); Lucy Johns 12:56.52 (11th);
3000m Walk: Lucy Johns 16:28.21 (1st);
Discus: Zoey Ryan 25.50m (7th);
Javelin: Zoey Ryan 23.00m (9th); Ines Caton-Smith FOUL;
Female 15
800m: Oli Oldfield 2:17.90 (3rd); 2:20.65 (P); Matilda Johnson 2:18.72 (5th); 2:22.17 (P); Grace Robinson 2:31.19 (P);
3000m: Heidi Kuppler 10:12.68 (2nd); Grace Robinson 11:04.93 (7th);
Female 14
200m: Jamie Ritchie 26.18 (0.9) (1st); 26.50 (-1.7) (P);
Triple Jump: Aylaa Arunan 9.20m (2.6) (7th);
Female 13
Discus: Aylaa Arunan 22.29m (3rd);
Javelin: Aylaa Arunan 19.80m (2nd);
Male:
Male OP
200m: Hayden Moon 24.46 (-2.0) (P);
Male 20
Triple Jump: Harley Gilbert 11.99m (1.7) (6th);
Male 18
3000m: Cameron Ellis 9:04.77 (8th); Rhodri Whelan 9:48.10 (14th);
Male 17
800m: Ethan Armstrong-Bourne 2:04.32 (P); Thomas Short 2:04.56 (P);
Male 16
3000m Walk: Max Davidson 14:16.47 (1st);
Discus: Chehan Udugampala 44.14m (6th);
Javelin: Chehan Udugampala 34.02m (5th);
Male 15
800m: Kai Bunyard 2:08.67 (3rd); 2:12.54 (P);
3000m Walk: Jaime Hvalica 16:33.90 (1st);
Javelin: Toby Hamilton 36.18m (1st);
Triple Jump: Toby Hamilton 10.93m (2.2) (6th);
Female P17
200m: Kirra Wright 40.79 (0.2) (2nd);
Male AMB
200m: Dillon Vidanapathirana 26.30 (-0.7) (2nd);
800m: Dillon Vidanapathirana 2:28.78 (2nd);
Male P20
200m: Jordan Rudd 26.75 (0.8) (1st);
800m: Jordan Rudd 2:19.51 (5th);
