Paul Parker was a stand-out performer at the Victorian Junior Track and Field Championships. 77660_08 Picture: KRISTIAN SCOTT
By MICHAEL ESPOSITO
TWO Brimbank Little Athletics members were among the stars of the Victorian Junior Track and Field Championships on 24-26 February, in what was one of the most successful meets for the Hoppers Crossing-based Western Athletics club.
Kings Park athlete Paul Parker won the under-18 men’s triple jump and long jump, and also made the 100m and 200m finals, finishing sixth and fourth respectively, while Cairnlea’s Billie Arch claimed the under-14 women’s 400m and long jump crowns, and netted a silver in the 200m.
Western Athletics president Stuart Macaulay praised Parker’s performance.
“To spread himself out over four events in two and bit days in the weather that we had is extremely hard,” Macaulay said.
“Typically, very good jumpers are also quite good sprinters … but to be making four finals in the one championship at under-18 level is very impressive. The under-18 men is an extremely competitive age group, so he in my mind was definitely one of the stand-outs.
“You see it a little bit in the younger ones because when you’re good you’re good, but when they start to get to 17 the kids start to specialise, so you’ll have athletes only doing one event a lot of the time. So for Paul to have been so successful in four events as an under-18 is very, very impressive.”
Arch has owned the 400m in recent times, having won the Australian under-14 women’s 400m title last year, when she was still eligible for the under-13 age group.
Hoppers Crossing girl Teagan Newman was the other distinguished performer at the junior titles, winning the under-15 women’s discus by a whopping 7.57m, and also claimed gold in the hammer throw, in her first competitive attempt at the event.
Newman also made the final of the javelin throw and finished sixth in the 90m hurdles.
Western Athletics won nine gold, 17 silver and nine bronze medals. Nick Masini won gold in the under-14 javelin.
“In our recent memory we can’t remember being that successful at the junior titles,” Macaulay said.
“We may have a couple of extra gold in other years but to have 17 silver medallists is really exceptional.”
Western Athletics runners performed with distinction in the middle distance events.
Hoppers Crossing’s Brooke Zerafa won the under-16 women’s 2000m steeplechase and won silver medals in the 1500m and 3000m events.
Tarneit’s Sarah Dobie won the under-15 girls 2000m steeplechase, while silvers went to Callum Drake in the under-20 men’s 5000m, Amy Cashin in the under-18 women’s 800m, Amanda Missale in the under-18 women’s 2000m steeplechase, Courtney Scott in the under-18 women’s 3000m, Demi Utber in the under-15 women’s 2000m steeplechase, and Ben Tipper in the under-14 men’s 1500m and 800m.
Zerafa’s schedule was particularly arduous, having run 1500m in 37C heat and 2000m steeplechase and 3000m events in 35C.
Macaulay said Zerafa’s significant improvement in the past year could be partly attributed to her move to sports specialist school Maribyrnong College, which has helped her improve her core strength.
