2009 Australian All Schools Championships
Domain Athletics Centre, Hobart
4/12/2009 to 7/12/2009

One member of the club was involved at the Australian All Schools Championships with Leah Polycarpou contesting the U15 girls 2000 m Steeplechase and the U14 girls 1500 m events

Held in very cold conditions on the opening night of competition, the 2000 m Steeplechase began at the U15 age group, with Polycarpou (U14) finding herself surrounded by predominantly older girls

From the gun the field strung out fairly early on in the five lap race. With the icy water jump on this 12 degree Hobart night a fairly uncomfortable experience, Polycarpou did very well to keep pushing herself to reach the main group. In the end, Polycarpou crossed sixth (and second Victorian) in 7:25.46 – a club record and personal best on the national stage

What was significant about Polycarpou’s effort was that her time put her well clear of the other half dozen or so U14 girls in this sixteen athlete field so hopefully this augurs well for next year’s championships should her form over that period hold

Polycarpou’s second event was held on the Monday morning of the Championships. The field for the U14 girls 1500 m was huge with 25 athletes contesting the event. In a race where several large packs developed, Polycarpou found herself boxed in on several occasions and crossed the line in fifteenth place. Significantly, only three seconds separated twelfth from eighteenth

Pending her participation in the 2010 Victorian Junior Champs, the times posted by Polycarpou here and at the event that ensured her selection at these All Schools Champs have earned her automatic qualification at the 2010 Australian Junior Athletics Championships to be held in Sydney this March. So after this very encouraging performance for Polycarpou in her first taste of national Schools competition, more representative honours are likely for this young athlete

Well done Leah from all your friends at the Coburg Harriers