WESTERN Athletics Club was awarded the 2007-08 Club of the Year by Athletics Victoria recently.
Club secretary Stuart Macaulay and registrar Clare Burton accepted the award on behalf of the club.
“With more than 60 clubs within Athletics Victoria, Western Athletics is very proud of our achievements in the past season and we hope that we continue to be seen as a successful club by our members, our competitors, our local community and also the governing body, Athletics Victoria,” Macaulay said.
Western Athletics was presented a certificate and a $1000 development grant.
The club held its 2007-08 presentation night recently where the award was officially handed to club president Wallace Anderson by development officer of Athletics Victoria Matt Griffin.
Champion discus thrower and shot puter Andrew Peska and all-round star of the track Morgan Mitchell took out the men’s and women’s club champion awards respectively.
Russell Hampson who has served athletics with Werribee Athletics Club and now Western Athletics since 1979 as a competing athlete and the entire time as a committee member, was awarded Life Membership.
Individual accolades went to Narelle Coady of Wyndamvale, who was recognised as one of the best eight females distance runners and was selected in the Victorian Cross Country team for the national championships. She has also won numerous major fun runs in Victoria (including the Great Ocean Road – 14km and the Run to the G – 10km) and finished as the third fastest Australian in the Gold Coast Half Marathon.
The club’s Open Age Winter Champions were Narelle Coady, Adam Clark of Spotswood, while the junior champions were Darren Casha and Rebecca Gatt of St Albans. Throughout the Athletics Victoria Shield Competition athletes accrue points for competing in events and for their achievements.
The 2007-08 Club Aggregate Points Champions were Kylie Smith of Sunshine and Wayne Bingham of Hoppers Crossing.
Seventeen-year-old Michael Masseni of Altona, was presented a trophy and perpetual plaque for his win in the club Christmas 120m gift. Derby Kitchin, also 17, of Spotswood was presented with a trophy and perpetual plaque for his win in the 1000m handicap race at the same event. Pierre Vanjager, 17, of Melton received the Encouragement Award and Samantha Mahoney of Tarneit received the President’s Award.
