Athletes win way to state finals
Budding athletes from across the Wimmera have qualified for next month’s Little Athletics Victoria state track and field championships in Melbourne.
The youngsters will compete in state titles after impressing at Western Country Region championships in Ballarat.
Athletes from Stawell, Ararat and Horsham Little Athletics groups took part.
Nine Horsham athletes and five Stawell athletes earned automatic qualification to the state championships at Cranbourne’s Casey Fields by winning gold medals in their events. Horsham’s Riley Downer had a day to remember, winning four gold medals – the most of any Wimmera athlete.
He claimed gold in the under-10 boys 800-metre, 400-metre and 200-metre finals as well as the long jump.
Other Horsham athletes to win gold medals were Ada Binney, under-12 girls high jump; Thomas Naylor, under-14 boys 90-metre hurdles and 200-metre hurdles; Hannah Plazzer, under-10 girls 70-metres; Jacob Priest, under-10 boys shot put; Campbell Stasinowsky, under-nine boys shot put; Kynan Stasinowsky, under-12 boys long jump; Shannon Taylor, under-12 boys triple jump; and Jett Wilson, under-10 boys 70-metres and high jump. Stawell’s Darcy Venn competed in four finals, winning gold in under-nine girls shot put and long jump and silver in 110-metres and 70-metres.
Austin Tyers claimed gold medals in under-11 boys shot put and discus and silver in javelin.
Other Stawell athletes winning gold were Austin Guisa, under-12 boys 80-metre hurdles; Bradley Carter, under-13 boys long jump; and Tommy Williams, under-14 boys 1500-metres and 800-metres.
Horsham sent 17 athletes to the region championships, finishing with a total of 14 gold medals, 13 silver and 14 bronze.
Stawell’s 13 athletes brought home a combined eight gold, eight silver and five bronze medals.
Ararat had two representatives at the championships – Addison Lardner and Aaron Chaplin.
Lardner earned silver in under-10 girls discus and Chaplin claimed bronze in the under-13 boys shot put and javelin.
Athletes finishing second in events at the regional championships could still qualify for the state championships depending on results from other regional finals across Victoria.