Peter and Brenda Cashin are one of the husband and wife couples preparing to go head to head in a Western Athletics Club battle. 87819_03 Picture: DAMJAN JANEVSKI
By PETER GAVAGHAN
A GROUP of women at Western Athletics are hoping to show up their male counterparts between now and next February.
The group, who are all aged over 40 years, want to make Athletics Victoria’s teams championship in their first attempt.
It took their male counterparts two seasons to achieve that, so bragging rights on who is best are up for grabs as husbands and wives prepare to go head-to-head.
The Shield involves athletes earning points at athletic meetings each week with divisional champions and runners-up competing in a grand final at Lakeside in February.
Club president Adrian Jeffkins said the 40+ women had opted to join the new age group rather than compete in the top women’s division after helping it earn promotion to Division One as Division Two state champions last season.
“They want to follow up that success with another state premiership,” Jeffkins said.
The men’s 40+ team made the final in its second season, 2011-12.
“It was no mean feat – coming fourth of eight teams in the state Shield final at Lakeside Stadium last March, beating the team that headed it on the points table in its division all season,” he said.
“True, the men had several of their leading sprinters missing through injury and unavailability, but they dug deep on the day to show longer established teams that they had the right to be there.
“But the girls have been champing at the bit and are determined to show their male
club mates who really has the bragging rights when it comes to competition.”
Jeffkins said many of the women in the 40+ team had enjoyed success as shield champions at open and under-age levels as well as individually, so winning was in their blood.
“Of course it is all being conducted in a very friendly spirit, but make no mistake the fierceness of competition will be there every step taken and every jump and every throw made,” he said.
Athletics Victoria has also introduced 50+ and 60+ categories this season with lower hurdle heights and lighter implements like discus, shot and javelin.
Jeffkins said the club would welcome ex-athletes back to the fold who were interested in competing.
“Look, we are not asking them just to come along and compete, we want them to join the social side of things – we have an active social committee which organises many different functions and gatherings.
“The over 40s’ exploits will give us plenty to talk about in the off-season and will foster a club togetherness Western Athletics prides itself on.”
