Geelong athletes to take on nation’s best
ABOUT 25 Geelong athletes have automatically qualified for this month’s 93rd Australian open AWD and Multi Events Championship in Brisbane.
Geelong athletics coach Anula Costa said she expected them to hold their own on the track and podium when they take on the country’s best on March 26-29.
Costa said athletes from the five Geelong clubs — Chilwell, Geelong Guild, Deakin, Corio and Bellarine — achieved some marvellous results at the championships at Albert Park last weekend.
“They dominated the championships in all the events and collected a swag of medals,” she said.
“They will do well and be very competitive in Brisbane.”
Costa said Jack Henry, a first time multi-events athlete in the U/18 men’s group for the championship won a silver medal, narrowly missing gold.
She said Henry’s 5928 score was more than 1000 points above what he needed for his 4800 national qualification.
Maddison Traynor, of Chilwell, did well in the U18 high jump at 1.55m and the U18 javelin at 35.29m, winning gold in the heptathlon.
Meanwhile, two Barwon Sports Academy athletes also showed their style at the event.
T38 athlete Kirstie Newcombe won three gold and two bronze and Andrew Semmens won a gold medal in the 800m ambulant with a personal best of 2:07.40.
“I was really pleased with the way I ran on Friday night,” he said of his four medals and two personal bests.
“All my training is starting to pay off at the right time of the year and I’m really proud I stuck to my race plan,” he said.