VALLEY ATHLETES MINE RICH PICKINGS IN THE WEST

                  The 28 DVAC athletes who journeyed to Perth for the 2025 Australian Athletics Championships will all return richer for the experience in many ways. The presentation of the Championships, broken into Junior Championships (4^th April to 8^th April) and the Open & U20 Championships (10^th to 13^th April) was thoroughly professional in every way and the standard of athletics throughout the meet was exceptionally high.

                  The 28 DVAC athletes (14 Female & 14 Male) will all benefit from the competition when they return to training be it from their own experience in competition or from watching the exciting parade of talent on show at the WA Athletics Stadium. There were many personal best performances achieved under the pressure of Championship competition. DVAC congratulates all athletes who competed in Perth.

In total there were 16 Medals won by the 28 DVAC athletes: 6 Gold, 6 Silver and 4 Bronze. The 2024 Australian Athletics Championships saw 31 DVAC athletes win a total of 11 Medals.

The medal winners are listed below:

GOLD MEDAL WINNERS:

                  FU15: 200m:                                       Jamie Ritchie:                23.77

                  FU20 Para 400m:                           Kirra Wright (T36):      1:17.49 (86.88%)

                  MU15: 800m:                                     Samuel Reeve:              2:01.33

                  MU16: High Jump:                        Toby Hamilton:             1.89m

                  MU17: 5000m Race Walk:    Max Davidson:              23:20.32

                  MU20 (Para): 400m:                    Jordan Rudd:                   54.35 (86.21%)

SILVER MEDAL WINNERS:

                  FU20 Para 200m:                           Kirra Wright (T36):      32.47 (86.88%)

                  FU20 Para 100m:                           Kirra Wright (T36):      15.28 (89.66%)

                  FU20 Para Shot Put:                   Kirra Wright (T36):      7.61m (64.54%)

                  FOpen Pole Vault:                        Elyssia Kenshole:       4.21m

                  MU16 Pole Vault:                          Toby Hamilton:             3.63m

                  MU20 Decathlon:                         Asher Andrews:           6416 pts

BRONZE MEDAL WINNERS:

                  FU15 100m:                                         Jamie Ritchie:                11.86

                  FU16 800m:                                         Matilda Johnson:        2:13.53

                  FU17 Hammer Throw:              Zoey Ryan:                         48.34m

                  MU20 Para: 200m:                        Jordan Rudd:                   24.88   

RANDOM HIGHLIGHTS:

• Jamie, Jamie: Forget about Gout Gout (as wonderful as he is), DVAC has our own Express Sprint Star: Jamie’s 11.86 in the 100m sets a new Victorian FU15 record as well as a DVAC club record. Her 23.77 in the final of the 200m might have been wind assisted but still sets a new Australian Championship record. Jamie set a new Victorian record for the 200m in the Heat with a 24.42. First time under 12sec for the 100m and under 24sec for the 200m! What a meet! Jamie also ran the second leg of the Victorian FU16 4 x 100m Relay team that won Gold and later ran the 1^st leg of the Victorian FU16 4 x 200m Relay team.
• Out of the clouds: The final of the MU15 800m looked over & done when the tall figure of Samuel Reeve appeared out of the blue and stormed over the top of the lead runners to take the gold medal. Samuel’s time of 2:01.33 breaks a long time club record held by Rodney Upton.
• Big time performer: Jordan Rudd is a T20 Para athlete who never disappoints on the big stage. Four events at Perth and four pb’s: Gold for the 400m in 54.35, Bronze for the 200m in 24.88, and a two second pb in the 800m with 2:09.56. Throw in a 5.15m Long Jump and that is an outstanding set of results.
• Kirra’s Medal Haul: Kirra Wright is a T36/F36 Para athlete who won four medals in Perth with a brilliant set of results. A Gold medal in the 400m and Silver medals in the 100m, 200m and Shot Put with pb’s in every event puts her in line as one of the athletes of the meet.
• The ‘Streak’ continues: Max Davidson has continued his long winning streak in the Race Walk event. At this year’s Championships in Perth, Max went into the race hampered with a back injury but still emerged a clear winner in the MU18 5000m Race Walk. Max finished in 23:20.32. DVAC had two other Walks athletes at Perth – Lucy Johns who finished 5^th in the FU17 5000m Walk in 29:05.04; and Camryn Price who set a new club record for the Female Open 10000m Race Walk when she crossed in 52:13.91.
• Asher Andrews Just Keeps Getting Better: Setting out to do ten events is a massive challenge in itself – try setting six personal best performances on the way. That is what Asher Andrews achieved in an amazing set of performances in the MU20 Decathlon that gave him the Silver medal with a total of 6416 points. His pb performances came in the 100m (10.95); 110m Hurdles (16.16); 400m (53.15); Pole Vault (4.0m); Shot Put (12.35m); and the Javelin (52.52m). Oh yes, throw in a Season Best 6.65m leap in the Long Jump. Forgot to mention – Asher was in the bottom age group in the M20 and has another year to go. Asher – you are an inspiration to us all.
• Toby’s reaching for the stars: Toby Hamilton successfully defended his Australian Championship win the High Jump from 2024 when he cleared 1.84m. This year Toby won the MU16 High Jump with a leap of 1.89m. This year though, Toby added the Pole Vault to his repertoire and won a Silver medal with a clearance over 3.63m.
• Elyssia wins Silver in the Open Women’s Pole Vault: From a crippling injury in November to the podium at Nationals in Perth, Elyssia Kenshole has had a memorable journey that has required great courage and resilience. Elyssia cleared the winning height of 4.21m but lost out on a countback. Elyssia is definitely a winner in our books.
• Steeplechasers R Us: Ethan Armstrong-Bourne (U18), Brodie Batt (U17) and William Quigley (U16) all achieved significant break-through runs in the 2000m Steeplechase at Perth. Ethan lowered his time to 6:08.76, Brodie finished in 6:31.85 and William completed the journey in 6:34.62.

• Jaryd Clifford is ready for the 2025 World Para Athletics Championships: Jaryd, a T12 athlete, ran a ripping 1500m in the Heats and missed out on making the finals by less than a second when he crossed in 3:44.52. In the 5000m Jaryd finished in 14:33.58. Both times are well within the qualifying standard for the 2025 World Para Athletics Championships set to be held in New Delhi from 26^th September to 5^th October 2025.
• Matilda’s finishing touches: Matilda Johnson ran a 1500m Final and then an 800m in the heats and final and all three races were characterised with a super finish. In the 1500m it meant that she passed a number of athletes to finish in 8^th position in 4:38.81. In the Heat of the 800m the fast finish meant the difference of automatic qualification for the final or missing out and then in the Final, Matilda recovered from being checked to storm home and grab the Bronze medal. Her time of 2:13.53 sets a new FU15 record for DVAC.
• Zoey’s Hammer time: Going into the Nationals, Zoey Ryan had a pb of 47.99m with the 3kg Hammer. What better time to pull out a throw measured at 48.34m and take home a Bronze medal. Well done, Zoey.

2025 AUSTRALIAN JUNIOR (U13-U18) ATHLETICS CHAMPIONSHIPS

4/4/2025 – 8/4/2025

WA Athletics Stadium

DVAC Results:

FEMALE:

U15:

100m:                                      Jamie Ritchie:                   11.86 (Q) (2.0w) (pb): 11.86 (w) (3^rd)

200m:                                      Jamie Ritchie:                 24.42 (Q) (+0.7) (pb): 23.77 (+2.6) (1^st)

High Jump:                          Leizel Cilliers:                  1.45m (16^th)

U16:

800m:                                      Matilda Johnson:                             2:15.61 (Q); 2:13.53 (pb) (3^rd)

1500m:                                   Matilda Johnson:                             4:38.81                 8^th

4 x 100m Relay:              Jamie Ritchie (2^nd leg):                47.07                      1^st

4 x 200m Relay:              Jamie Ritchie (1^st leg):                 1:40.98                 2^nd

U17:     

100m:                                      Rebecca Hvalica:                           12:51 (Heat)

200m:                                      Rebecca Hvalica:                           26.32 (Heat)                      

Hammer Throw:             Zoey Ryan:                                            48.34m (3kg) (pb)         3^rd           

5000m Race Walk:      Lucy Johns:                                          29:05.04              (5^th)       

U18:

100m:                                      Elisha Blair:                                          12.52 (+1.0) (pb) (Heat)

4 x 100m Relay:              Rebecca Hvalica (4^th leg)         45.95                      (4^th)

Javelin:                                   Amelia Di Benedetto                   23.53m:               (12^th)

U20:

Hammer Throw (4kg): Tara Smith:                                         32.73m (SB)     (20^th)

Hammer Throw (4kg): Zoey Ryan:                                          NM

Javelin (600g):                  Vanessa Smith:                                36.71m                (9^th)

Javelin (600g):                  Tara Smith:                                           34.22m                (11^th)

U20 (Para)

100m:                                      Kirra Wright (T36):                          15.28 (-1.1) (pb) (89.66%) (2^nd)

200m:                                      Kirra Wright (T36):                           32.47 (pb) (86.88%)    (2^nd)

400m:                                      Kirra Wright (T36):                           1:17.49 (pb) (86.41%) (1^st)

Shot Put:                               Kirra Wright (F36):                          7.61m: (pb) (64.54%) (2^nd)      

OPEN:

10,000m Racewalk:                                       Camryn Price:                  52:13.91  (8^th)

Javelin (600g): (Qualifiaction):              Vanessa Smith:              36.38m

Javelin (600g): (Qualifiaction):              Tara Smith:                         32.87m

Pole Vault: (Qualification):                       Elyssia Kenshole:         3.85m (q); 4.21m (2^nd)

MALE:

U15:

400m:                                      Samuel Reeve:                                  53.10 (pb) (Q); 53.12 (7^th)

800m:                                      Samuel Reeve:                                  2:02.93 (Q); 2:01.33 (1^st)

Discus:                                   Jerome Nu’U:                                     37.41m:               (8^th)

Shot Put:                               Jerome Nu’U:                                     13.37m (pb)     (6^th)

U16:

2000m Steeplechase: William Quigley:                           6:34.62 (pb)     (9^th)

Pole Vault:                           Toby Hamilton:                                  3.63m (pb)        (2^nd )

High Jump:                          Toby Hamilton:                                  1.89m:                  (1^st)

Long Jump:                         Toby Hamilton:                                  2.25m:                  (15^th)

Discus:                                   Chehan Udugampala:                37.68m:               (13^th)

Hammer Throw:             Chehan Udugampala:                37.15m                 (10^th)

U17:

2000m Steeple (83.8cm): Brodie Batt:                              6:31.85 (pb):    10^th

5000m Race Walk:      Max Davidson:                                  23:20.32              1^st

U18:

800m:                                      Thomas Short                                    1:59.86                 (Heat)

800m:                                      Ethan Armstrong-Bourne        2:00.77                 (Heat)

2000m Steeple (83.8cm) Ethan Armstrong-Bourne 6:08.76 (pb)  (8^th)

110m Hurdles: (91.4): Charlie Gray:                                   17.98                      (9^th)

U20:

(Para):

200m:                                      Jordan Rudd (T20):                        24.88  (pb) (86.21%) (+1.0): (3^rd )

400m:                                      Jordan Rudd (T20):                        54.35 (pb) (86.21%) (1^st)

800m:                                      Jordan Rudd (T20):                        2:09.56 (pb) (84.83%) (6^th)

Long Jump:                         Jordan Rudd (T20):                        5:15m (pb) (67.40%) (6^th)

Decathlon:                        Asher Andrews:                                6416 points (pb):           2^nd

Field of 21 Athletes

100m:                                      10.95 (+2.0):    (2^nd) (pb):                              872pts

110m Hurdles:                16.16 (-1.6):      (=6^th) (pb):                            715pts

400m:                                      53.15:                    (11^th) (pb):                            675pts

1500m:                                   5:36.44:               (17^th)                                         368pts

Pole Vault:                           4.00m:                  (2^nd) (=pb):                           617pts

High Jump:                          1.79m:                  (9^th):                                           619pts

Long Jump:                         6.65m (-0.1):   (4^th) (sb):                                732pts

Discus:                                   35.03m:               (5^th):                                           564pts

Shot Put:                               12.35m:               (2^nd) (pb):                              628pts

Javelin:                                   52.52m:               (2^nd) (pb):                              626pts                 

Open:

(Para):

100m (Heats):                  Dillon Vidanapathirana (T20):   12.70 (+2.9) (83.93%)

200m: (Heats):                Dillon Vidanapathirana (T20):   27.29 (-0.2) (78.60%)

400m:                                      Dillon Vidanapathirana (T20):    58.73 (13^th) (pb) (79.78%)

1500m:                                   Jaryd Clifford (T12):                       3:44.52 (Heat)

5000m:                                   Jaryd Clifford (T12):     14:33.58 (Heat B 7^th/ Overall 22^nd)

These results were compiled by Max Balchin (mbalchin29@bigpond.com). Sincere apologies for any errors or omissions.