Australian Little Athletics Championships and Australian Masters Athletics Championships - A generation of champions

The past week of athletic competition has seen athletes of multiple generations take to the track and field, embracing the spirit of competition and participation whilst representing their state.

Little Athletics Championships

The Runaway Bay Sports Centre played host to 224 of the best athletes in the U13 and U15 age groups in Australia, with the Australian Teams Championships and Australian Multi-Event Championship contested for U13’s and U15’s respectively.

The Life Members Trophy, awarded to the winning Multi-Event U15 team, was closely contested, as winners Western Australia (362pts) edged out New South Wales (341.50pts) and Victoria (335.50pts).

The Trevor Billingham Trophy, awarded to the victorious U13 State, was taken home by New South Wales (752pts), as Victoria and Queensland filled the minor placings with 720.50pts and 714pts respectively.

Outstanding performances during the championship included U15 Multi Event winners Tahlee McVee (WA) scoring 4937pts, as Paul Haasbroek (VIC) was victorious in the boys multi-event competition, scoring 5261pts.

Records Broken:

MR (Meet Record)

U13 W Shot Put - Talia Inivale (QLD) - 14.66m 
U13 W 1500m Walk - Jayda Anderson (QLD) - 6:42.31 
U13 M 1500m Walk - Kris Hayward (QLD) - 6:32.43
U13 M 800m - Dylan Devine (QLD) - 2:03.68 
U13 W 80m Hurdles - Amber Clarke (VIC) - 12.24sec  
U13 M 80m Hurdles - Ethan Quintana (NSW) - 11.73sec

A grassroots competition made possible through enthusiastic volunteerism, ALAC has been an arena for developing foundational athletic skills in future Australian representatives and record holders such as Narromine’s Melinda Gainsford (100m, 200m), Darren Clark (400m) and Beaudesert Little Athletics club member Riley Day (200m).

Australian Masters Athletics Championships

Athletes aged 30 to 93 competed across a four-day program at the Venues West AMA Championships, the site of the 2016 World Masters Championships.

The competition was highlighted by a number of record-breaking performances, as Trevor Young (NSW) improved the Australian M60 400m record by over a second, victorious with a 55.42 performance.

The record-breaking trend continued throughout the weekend, as Byrony Glass (WA) improved her Australian W40 Hammer Throw record to 51.75m.

Two athletes exemplified the spirit of masters competition and the #getmoving concept, proving age to be no barrier, 93-year old Jim Sinclair (VIC) secured bronze in the M85-94 60 metres (13.47sec), whilst Heather Lee (NSW) finished 15th in the W30-94 5000m Walk, racing through the 12.5 laps in 41:04.87.

Sean Whipp for Athletics Australia.

Photo credit: Little Athletics NSW