VALLEY JUNIORS GRADUATE AT AUSTRALIAN ALL SCHOOLS CHAMPIONSHIPS

Sixteen DVAC juniors travelled to Perth to gain valuable Championship experience & test themselves against the best in the country at the 2023 Australian All Schools Track & Field Championships. Over three action packed days at the WA Athletics Stadium, the Valley juniors competed in twenty-three events and came away with seven medals – one Gold, two Silver and four Bronze. The numbers of athletes & medals are an improvement on the same meet in 2022 when 8 club juniors won 4 medals.

Max Davidson (U15) continued his success in the Walks events when he won the 3000m Walk in a time of 14:33.23. This follows his second place in the Men U14 3000m Walk at the Australian Championships in April in 14:56.26 and his win at this year’s Victorian All Schools in 15:03.12.

Fellow Walks athletes Jaime Hvalica (U14) and Lucy Johns (U15) kept up the high standard of the Walks squad at Diamond Valley. Hvalica placed third in the 3000m Walk in a new personal best time of 15:27.83 while Johns also lowered her previous best time for the 3000m Walk to 16:28.98 to place fourth.

Dillon Vidanapathirana (U20 Para) went to his first National championships and won medals in all three of the events in which he competed. Dillon started his busy schedule off with a 12.88 run in the 100m to claim the Bronze medal. The next day, Dillon ran the 200m in 26.65 to win the silver medal against a strong field. On the last day of competition, Dillon ran the 800m in 2:29.62 to take the Bronze medal.

Toby Hamilton (U14) cleared a new personal best height of 1.74m in the High Jump to win the Bronze medal.

After an initial no throw with the Hammer, Zoey Ryan (U5) just kept getting better and produced a new personal best effort of 46.11m to claim the Silver medal.

Middle Distance runner, Matilda Johnson (U14) put together two trong performances in the 800m (2:18.88) and the 1500m (4:44.32) to record two new personal best times.

All sixteen athletes are to be congratulated on their achievements at the Australian All Schools Championships.

Dillon Vidanapathirana on the podium at Perth after winning Silver in the MU20 (Para) 200m.

2023 Australian All Schools Track & Field Championships

WA Athletics Stadium, Floreat, Perth

8-10 December 2023

DVAC Results:

Girls:

Under 14:

Matilda Johnson: 800m: 2:18.88*: 6^th

Matilda Johnson: 1500m: 4:44.32*: 6^th

Under 15:

Lucy Johns: 3000m Walk: 16:28.98* 4^th

Zoey Ryan: Hammer Throw: 46.11m: 2^nd

Zoey Ryan: Shot Put: 8.85m 10^th

Ines Caton-Smith: Javelin: 36.12m 7^th

Under 17:

Ally Brooks: 800m: 2:21.85 11^th

Ally Brooks: 1500m: 4:54.87 11^th

Vanessa Smith: Javelin: 36.98m 6^th

Under 18:

Katie Oliver: 100m: 12.43 10^th

Katie Oliver: 4 x 100m Relay (Vic) 48.04 4^th

Matilda L’Estrange: 3000m: 10:07.52 4^th

Charlee Dickson: 400m Hurdles: 1:08.80 6^th

Keira Sanchez: Hammer Throw: 49.97m 5^th

Tara Smith: Javelin: 40.41m 6^th

Boys:

Under 14:

Jaime Hvalica: 3000m Walk: 15:27.83*: 3^rd

Toby Hamilton: High Jump: 1.74m*: 3^rd

Toby Hamilton: Javelin: 34.35m 9^th

Under 15:

Max Davidson: 3000m Walk: 14:33.23* 1^st

Chehan Udugampala: Hammer Throw: 31.42m*: 7^th

Chehan Udugampala: Javelin: 39.34m*: 9^th

Under 20 (Para):

Dillon Vidanapathirana: 100m: 12.88* (82.76%) 3^rd

Dillon Vidanapathirana: 200m: 26.65 (80.48%) 2^nd

Dillon Vidanapathirana: 800m: 2:29.62 (73.45%) 3^rd

(*denotes personal best achievement)

CLUB RECORDS