2008/09 AV Shield North West Region
Round 10 - Aberfeldie
Saturday, 17 January 2009

Warm and very sunny conditions under cloudless blue skies was not enough to illicit a big turn out for Round 10 action at the Athletics Victoria Shield North West Region competition. Nevertheless it was a 25% increase on the week before and the club recorded two victories

Our Division 2 men suffered their second defeat in a row to finish runner up, however our 40 + men continued their domination of the North West Region and our U16 girls won again. Also to do well were our U18 men who finished second and U18 women who were third

Making their debut for the club was Matthew Millington, from Coburg Little Athletics. Millington is a useful sprinter who will provide excellent support to our existing U16 sprinters in Josh Traine and Tim Conway. And the club welcomed two invitational athletes. Joshua Magee, son of the club’s elite middle distance athlete Liam Magee, competed in the Long Jump. And Che Grainger showed that he would be a very useful addition to the Coburg Harriers middle distance squad with 4:28.78 in the 1500 m – his first race over this distance in many years

Athletes to do well were Kira Davey (U16) who won the High Jump and was third in the Shot Put. A trifecta in the 100 m for 40+ men with Robert Tribuzio leading home Joe Brown and Benny Tancredi. Liam Magee (Division 2) won the 1500 m, Michael Dziadkiewiz (Division 2) won the 100 m, David Woods (40+) won the 200 m and Ben Weber won the Javelin for Division 2

Celeste White (U18) ran two season bests with runner up in the 200 m  after coming third in the 100 m, Leah Polycarpou (U16) came second in the 2000 m Steeplechase before coming third in the 1500 m in a personal best time, while Daryl Thomson (40+) was second in the Javelin

And the U16 girls 4 x 400 m relay team of Kira Davey, Amber Dominutti Jessica Farrugia and Leah Polycarpou came home in second place and take the U16 girls age group club record. Matthew Smith (U18) came third in the 1500 m, the men’s 40+ relay team came second. Ken Carter was third in the Discus and Shot Put with season best performances and also third in the Javelin

Adrianna Crea recorded a personal best in the 200 m, Jay Blake is in the best form of his life with a season best in the 100 m to go with his personal best in the 200 m. Blake was pushed all the way,  finishing just behind Matthew Mifsud who also ran a personal best over the distance. And Roxanne Watts had a night out with personal bests in the Javelin and Shot Put

Rita Pana ran a season best in the 200 m, Daryl Thomson recorded a season best in the 100 m, Ben Weber threw his best Javelin for the summer and Mohammed Reese put the Shot further than he has all summer

So with three rounds to go (including the make up meeting) until the end of the season, the club’s Division 2 men, 40 + men and U16 women are well clear on the top of their respective ladders, while our U18 men and U16 men currently lie third

This week the sprinters have the 200/400 m double with the 4 x 100 m Relay on the program. Middle distance athletes have the dreaded program of death with the 1500/5000 m double and 3000 m for juniors. In the Sprint Hurdles for U16 boys its the 100 m Hurdles at 84 cm, and U16 girls have the 90 m Hurdles at 76.2 cm. For the throwers, the Javelin is strictly invite and not for points. Juniors please note the first track event on the program is the Hurdles at 1:00 pm sharp with the 200 m to follow at 1:35 pm. The first field event for the day is the U16 boys Triple Jump with the U16 girls to follow at 1:35 pm for their first field event of the day

Looking ahead to the Region Final, now just three weeks away, there are a good number of athletes who compete for the club who may have other commitments on the day of the Region Final. I would ask that if you are considering your options for Saturday, 7 February 2009, could you please make the Region Final your priority. So if you are from Coburg Little Athletics it would be appreciated that if selected to compete in the Region Final that you could get away early from little athletics. And if - like myself - you are also a professional runner that you consider not participating in the pro meet scheduled for that day. It would be great to come away from the Region Final with a few pennants and it is the only weekend for the summer where I ask athletes to put other considerations aside. If we make the Shield Final it would be a bonus, but I am not expecting people to miss Little Aths Regional Champs or the pro meet that are both scheduled for that day, just the Region Final

DATES TO REMEMBER

Saturday, 17 January 2009 - AV Shield North West Region Round 10 at Aberfeldie from 1:00 pm
Tuesday, 20 January 2009 - AV Shield North West Region Round 11 at Aberfeldie from 6:00 pm
Tuesday, 27 January 2009 - AV Shield North West Region Round 8 (make up meet) at Aberfeldie from 6:00 pm