Above: Victorian All Schools Track and Field Championships medallists Claire Hodgart, Madison Sharp and Brooke Zerafa. 73649 Picture: EMILY LANE
BY MICHAEL ESPOSITO
ROCHELLE Kennedy has to travel more than an hour to attend weekly Athletics Victoria Shield meetings, but she wouldn’t have it any other way.
Some of her fellow Western Athletics club members, such as Amy Cashin and Courtney Scott, are among the best junior female middle distance runners in Victoria, and the healthy one-upmanship between the runners compels them to keep improving.
“We’re all very competitive but as soon as we step off the track we’re like the best of friends,” Kennedy explained.
The Kyneton resident will be one of six athletes from the Werribee-based Western Athletics who will be competing at the Australian All Schools Track and Field Championships in Queensland next month.
Others include Daniela Roman (100m, 90m hurdles and 200m hurdles), Brooke Zerafa (200m steeple), Madison Sharp (400m), Teagen Newman (discus), and Chris Mitrevski (triple jump).
Kennedy earned selection in the Victorian schools team after winning the under-18 800m and 1500m events at the Victorian All Schools titles in devastating fashion.
“I’d love to get on a podium, that would be the major goal,” Kennedy said.
“There’s definitely some really strong girls out there, it should be a really good race.”
Kennedy is used to podiums. In September she achieved one of her most memorable podium finishes to claim a silver medal in the 800m event at the Junior Commonwealth Games, held on the Isle of Man.
“I was ecstatic, it was absolutely a dream come true,” she said.
“Just the atmosphere and everything about it was incredible. The competition was just another step up again. Everyone there are such high quality athletes and everyone is incredibly focused on what they’re doing.”
Beyond the national All Schools titles, Kennedy is aiming to run the 800m in under 2.07.5 minutes, a qualifying time for the world junior athletics championships. She has cracked the 2.08 mark before, most recently in August.
She also hopes to run well at the Australian Junior Championships in March next year.
