In great form … Western Athletics’ Daniela Roman competes in the 100m relay. 54491
By Michael Esposito
THE Athletics Victoria Shield was one of the few local sporting events to go ahead on the weekend, despite the gloomy weather.
The north-west division competed at Epping’s Meadowglen Athletics Track in the second round of the shield, with a number of athletes missing, not just because of the inclement weather, but because several competitors are still resting from the cross country season.
Hoppers Crossing-based club Western Athletics took out the women’s under 16 state cross country title, and the seven-person team will be presented with its pennant at Olympic Park this Sunday.
Promising young sprinter Daniela Roman has had an impressive start to the AV Shield season, running the 100m in a time of 13.18s in the opening round on 9 October, and running the 200m in 28.65s on Saturday.
The 14-year-old recorded the fifth fastest overall time in the 100m, which included times from open age athletes. She also won her 90m hurdles by 2.35 seconds with a time of 13.25s.
Fellow club representative Morgan Mitchell, who is eligible for under 18s but ran in the under 20s, was the fastest woman in the opening round with a time of 12.84s.
Western Athletics is also fielding an over-40 men’s side for the first time in several years – the result of a push to get former athletes back to the club. Among the team is Alan Cook, who was recently inducted in the Victorian Umpires Hall of Fame.
A healthy rivalry has developed between 40-plus competitors and club teammates Wayne Bingham and John White, who has returned to competitive athletics after 25 years.
In the first round of the AV Shield, Bingham defeated White by more than half-a-second in the 100m run with a time of 13.01s, but White got his own back after beating Bingham in the 400m with a time of 61.90s, about four seconds ahead of Bingham.
