THE Western Athletics under 20 women’s team destroyed the competition at the Athletics Victoria State shield final at Knox on Saturday.
Most members of the squad made up last season’s champion under 18 team.
Despite lacking walkers and hurdlers, the Werribee-based club thrashed its opponents from Doncaster, Croydon, Knox and Sandringham.
The club scored 347 points, ahead of Doncaster on 276 and Sandringham on 259. Points were awarded on positions, not times or distances, over the 11 disciplines including a relay.
“It was a wonderful team effort,” the club’s summer competition manager Peter Gavaghan said. “The young women showed a spirit that was heartening to experience. We took command early in the day and they rallied round when other team members had to withdraw from an event.”
Kirstin Shaw not only did her pet event, the debilitating 2000m walk, but did the 3000m steeplechase – only her second attempt at this – and the 1500m and then, when one member of the team had to leave, volunteered to run the final heat of the 400m.
Allison Gatt did her bit in three events while Amy Cashin and captain Lexie Alfieri put up their hands for four. Cashin won the 1500m with a time of 4:46.5. Natasha Roman clocked a personal best in the 100m.
Although Kristen Smith was disappointed with her triple jump distance of 10.78m, her second placing cemented the team’s victory with the four rounds of the 400m to go after Claire van der Merwe had blitzed her rivals in the discus.
“Not one of the team can be classed as out and out sprinters, but the squad ran a 55-second race to finish fourth, not far behind the third team,” Gavaghan said.
Western Athletics’ other team, the under 16 women, were runners up to a combined squad of four Bendigo clubs.
Gavaghan said contributions by the 12-strong team exceeded expectations. “We thought the team would have a chance of third or fourth, but, on the day, it showed a tremendous fighting spirit,” Gavaghan said.
Team manager and club president Stu Macaulay, who knew their capabilities so well, was able to get a synergistic effort from them, he said.
Daniela Roman finished second in the 100m and won the 90m hurdle while Brooke Zerafa won the steeple, after running in the third round of the 1500, and was only a smidgen short of a region record.
Claire Hodgart clipped a second off her 2000m time, which means she is over 32 seconds quicker than she was two weeks ago.
Rochelle Kennedy didn’t allow a blistered little toe deter her doing the 400m and 1500m while Madison Sharp replicated the improvements she has shown of late in the 100m, 400m, triple and the relay. “The other members of the team, Kirsty Stevens, Amelia Mazza-Downie, Aliesha and Teagen Newman, all presented tremendous support in their events – without them, we would not have scored second spot.”
It was heartbreak for Brittany McIntyre who was disqualified in only her second walk as she crossed the line.
Courtney Scott showed a dedication few could match: she ran the 1500, popped back into the city to see Mary Poppins and then popped back out to the track to run the 400.
