By LIAM TWOMEY
WESTERN Athletics has enjoyed another successful hit out against some of the best runners in the state.
The club took to the Lakeside Athletics Track in Albert Park late last month for the State Relay Championships.
With 21 teams competing, there was no shortage of outstanding results with six podium finishes for the club.
Taking out gold were the women’s 50-plus 4x100m and women’s 40-plus 4x400m.
Coming in second were the men’s 40-plus 4×400, men’s under-18 4x800m and women’s 40-plus 4×1500 metre.
The women’s open medley came in third.
Western Athletics committee member Phil Dunstone said it was a great day for the club.
“We are a very strong distance running club and we are starting to build our sprinters more this year,” he said.
“We compete weekly at regional level but this brings the whole state together.
“This gives kids that experience of running against the best athletes in their age group in the state. I guess it is there to give us an idea of where our athletes are and where we maybe need to improve.”
The good news didn’t stop there for Western Athletics with the club’s open women’s 4x400m team qualifying for the special Zatopek event in December.
Until then, athletes will continue to compete in the Athletics Victoria Shield in which the club is hoping to qualify as many teams as possible for the competition’s finals.
“It has been a pretty good start to the AV Shield season,” Dunstone said.
“Our junior teams are doing really well.
“We will be focusing on week in week out competition and trying to get our teams in that first or second position on the ladder.”
