GOLD and a residential record to Eaglehawk’s Angus McKindlay in the Open Mens 400m Hurdles capped Bendigo Region’s run at Athletics Victoria’s latest state field and track championships, which also included a gold medal for Shot put star Emma Berg and Harrison Boyd in the Under-20 3000m. Jayden Padgham took the silver behind Boyd whilst Tullie Rowe opened the weekend with a sublime run to silver in the Open Women’s 1500m.
The weekend’s meet at South Melbourne’s Lakeside Stadium for open and under-20s drew hundreds of competitors.
Mathoura-based McKindlay who is coached by Terry Hicks showed plenty of fight in Sunday’s one-lap dash to win the 400m hurdles in 54.92 seconds.
It was a superb effort to run at such speed and clear the 91.4cm obstacles.
McKindlay broke the Bendigo residential record for open and under-20 of 55.50 set by Connor Cudmore from Bendigo Harriers on February 13, 2016 at Lakeside.
Two more gold medals made their way back to Bendigo.
Shot put star Emma Berg again claimed the state title after a best of 14.69m.
A dual national champion who hails from Swan Hill, Berg is a multiple winner of the H.H. Hunter Athlete of the Year award for Athletics Bendigo and a long-time star for South Bendigo.
Berg, 21, is coached by Peter Barrett and will be bound for this year’s national championships in Brisbane.
Gold also went the way of Bendigo Harriers young gun Harrison Boyd.
A reigning national cross-country champion at junior level, Boyd powered around the track to win the under-20 3000m in 8:34.18.
It was a one-two result for Bendigo region and coach Andy Buchanan as his University Pride clubmate, Jayden Padgham ran seven-and-a-half laps in 8:45 to claim silver.
In a great start to the meet, Bendigo University’s Tullie Rowe put in a superb run in the open 1500m on Friday night.
Rowe’s time of 4:27 clinched silver.
Eaglehawk’s Olivia Graham hurled the hammer to a mark of 51.70m to claim silver in the open hammer.
Another of the Hawks’ long-time competitors and stars, Denise Snyder added to her state titles collection by earning silver in the open high jump.
From Swan Hill, Snyder cleared the 1.65m mark.
Hawks’ clubmate Juliet Heahleah ran the 3000m steeple in 14:57 to be runner-up in a gruelling contest.
South Bendigo’s Oliver Muggleton marked his first state titles at open level by running a personal best of 22.14 to win his 200m heat.
Muggleton just missed the final after being fourth in the first semi in 22.38.
He also ran the 400m in 50.91 and will be on track next Saturday for the Bendigo Gift carnival at the Retreat Road venue in Flora Hill.
Also in action at the state titles were Eaglehawk’s Abbey Hromenko, Laura Kadri, Dude Kelly, Claire Noonan, Cameron Smith, and Scarlett Southern, and Bendigo University’s Angus Macafee.
Athletes with links to Bendigo who represented other clubs were the Melbourne University trio of Taine Lang, Liam Shadbolt and James Woods, and Old Scotch distance runner Archie Wallis.
The weekend’s meet at South Melbourne’s Lakeside Stadium for open and under-20s drew hundreds of competitors.
Mathoura-based McKindlay who is coached by Terry Hicks showed plenty of fight in Sunday’s one-lap dash to win the 400m hurdles in 54.92 seconds.
It was a superb effort to run at such speed and clear the 91.4cm obstacles.
