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2008/09 Victorian Milers Club - Meet 3 |
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Saturday, 20 December 2008 |
2008/09 Victorian Milers Club - Meet 3
Aberfeldie - Tuesday, 16 December 2008 The third meeting of the Victorian Milers Club for season 2008/09 took place in ideal conditions at Aberfeldie that featured five Coburg Harriers in action with several personal bests and a club record being set the highlights. Conducted through a series of graded heats, the meet would offer an 800 metre section. But the main event on the card was the Victorian Mile Championships, with graded races underneath that event over the mile distance
In the 800 m was youngster Josh Persson. This sixteen year old Coburg Harrier has been in great form for the club in Athletics Victoria Shield competition. Each of his individual 800 m efforts this season have seen him set a new personal best for the distance. Lining up in heat 4, Persson was last through the first 200 m but was keeping in touch with a pack of four runners. After going through the first lap in 67 seconds, Persson kicked with 150 m to go and was able to move into sixth place and in a strong finish was only two seconds from fourth. A 72 second lap saw Persson record another new personal best with 2:19.70
Onto the Victorian Mile Championships and Graded Heat 2 was up first with Jeremy Grey and Philip van Dueren in action. Grey was in a pack of three runners that worked in together for the whole race. Grey was sitting in second place through the first half but took the lead on the third lap. This would cost him as the other two runners kicked hard with 200 m to go and Grey could not go with them to finish in third place with 4:45.50. some three seconds off his personal best
For van Dueren it would be a similar race but with a happier ending. Also working in with a group of runners, van Dueren ran a strong race to finish in tenth place. More importantly, his time of 5:22.40 was some four seconds off his own age group record set early last year
One of the more courageous runs of the evening came in Graded Heat 1 from Liam Magee. Battling injury, Magee ran very well to record 4:36.80 and finish in sixth place. It was four seconds off his own personal best set several weeks before, however still a remarkable effort given the restricted training this athlete has been on. The Christmas and New Year break will come at a good time for the club's premier middle distance athlete
And last but not least, the club had a starter in the Women's Victorian Mile Championships with twelve year old Leah Polycarpou. With no records for this distance in the club record books, Polycarpou only needed to finish to claim every junior record and the club's Open womens record
A steady start placed thirteenth through the first half of the race, but a very good last 800 m saw Polycarpou pick up one, then a lap later, another runner to come home strongly with 5:43.40 and eleventh place, just under two seconds from the top ten. This is a very good time when you consider Polycarpou trained earlier that evening!
Well done to all athletes and congratulations to Leah Polycarpou on her club Open Women's record. A great effort also by Josh Persson on his personal best for the 800 m, and to Philip van Dueren for improving on his own club age group record in a personal best time
It was fantastic to have the Victorian Milers Club staged at our local region and thank you to the five Coburg Harriers who represented their club with pride. Hopefully should this event be staged again at our region, we can have even more athletes representing the club
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Last Updated ( Saturday, 27 December 2008 )
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