Shield 2009/10 Season: Shield Final
Saturday 13 February 2010, Doncaster
The Athletics Victoria Shield finals, a carnival of club athletics, proved to be a rich experience for the seven Diamond Valley Athletic Club teams that took part on the weekend. While winning a pennant in the hardest team competition on the athletic calendar proved to be just beyond the reach of the club, the Valley athletes produced many wonderful efforts in the heat of battle for Shield honours.
By the time of the final track event, the 4 x 400m relays, and a number of the team results in the balance, the Valley athletes treated their large band of supporters to a showcase of athletic talent mixed with team loyalty and courage. At the end of the competition, three of seven DVAC teams, the Men's and Women's Under 20 teams and the Men's 40+ team, had to settle on being runners-up in close fought contests. The Women's Under 18 team finished in third place while the Men's Under 14, Under 16 and Under 18 teams all finished in fifth place. In all, over 50 DVAC athletes, including 40 junior athletes, took part in the AV Shield program that was held at the Doncaster venue.
In the Men's Under 20 competition, the DVAC team went down by the narrow margin of 7 points to the Keilor St Bernard's team. Matthew Smith had won maximum points in the 400m Hurdles with his fastest run of the season, 56.64. Nathan Riali produced a leap of 6.29m in the Long Jump to be second overall. Riali and Smith joined up with Shane Le Fevre and Aaron Smith to finish in second place in the 4x400m relay in 3:26.98, but falling just short of the required points to get the overall honours.
Ashleigh Hamilton spearheaded the Women's Under 20 challenge with wins in the High Jump (1.60m), the Long Jump (5.33m) and the Shot Put (10.80m). As well, Hamilton was the second quickest in the 200m with a time of 26.89. Victoria Moodie picked up top points for the team in the 400m Hurdles.
The Men's 40+ final had nine teams taking part, but by the end of the day it was a slug-out between Athletics Waverley and Diamond Valley. Andrew Stirling won valuable points by topping the results in the Hammer Throw (37.93m) and the Shot Put (11.34m). Luke DeBias took the honours in the Long Jump (5.63m) and in the High Jump he finished in third spot with a leap of 1.60m. Chris Lynch set new club records in the Men 55 age group in the 5000m (17:28.89) and the 800m (2:24.84). Graham Ford lowered his own club record in the Mens 60 age group for the 400m Hurdles to 72.08. The 4x400m team of Bernie Smith, Lindley Cowell, Antony Milovac and Luke Getson ripped 10 seconds off the previous club record in a valiant attempt to close the gap on the Waverley team.
Anika Peachey, Women's U18, rose to the occasion under the pressure of Shield finals to produce personal best performances in both the Hammer Throw (37.35m) and the Shot Put (9.39m). Peachey topped the field in both events and her performance in the Hammer Throw put her name into the club records for the first time. Sarah Leeming backed up a good run in the 800m with a personal best performance in the 3000m, lowering her time to 12:47.73.
Highlight of the day for the Men's U14 team, was their dramatic win in the 4x400m relay. Led off by Nicholas Phillips, and followed by Cooper Owen and Luke Kidgell, the fourth runner, Dean Neofitou, still had some serious work to do to catch the lead runner from Collingwood. Neofitou made his move into first place at the 200m mark and was never headed. Earlier in the day, Neofitou had topped the results in the 800m with a run of 2:11.80. Luke Kidgell was third overall in 2:22.14. Cooper Owen, went under the 8 minute mark for the 1500m Walk to bring his own club record down to 7:49.0. Owen won the overall points for the Walk.
In the Men's U16 division, Matthew Haynes ran the fastest 200m with a time of 23.31. Haynes was second in the Long Jump with a leap of 5.48m. Matthew Sholakis lowered his time for the 800m by three seconds, clocking 2:01.75 and leading the field of 19 competitors for the top points. Matthew Mineo proved to be a star performer under the finals pressure, producing big improvements in the 200m (26.75), Hammer Throw (29.11m) and Shot Put (11.42m). Josip Milovac finished second in the High Jump with a new personal best effort of 1.75m.
The Men's U18 team showed fighting spirit all day, especially in the 4x400m relay where the final runner, Iain Douglas, chased his Box Hill opponent down relentlessly but just failed to catch him. Jack Lewis, Brynton Ashton and Taylor Mills had all displayed plenty of courage in putting Douglas into a position where he could have a crack at the Box Hill team. Their finishing time was 3:28.76. Paul Townsend continued his run of personal best efforts, this time in the 3000m. Townsend lowered his time to 9:13.08. Iain Douglas took the maximum points in the 400m Hurdles in a time of 57.09. Patrick Lacock-Smith produced his best ever throw in the Hammer Throw (25.97m) to win second top points for his team.
DVAC team results:
F18 3rd of 7
F20 2nd of 3
M14 5th of 9
M16 5th of 8
M18 5th of 7
M20 2nd of 6
M40 2nd of 9
Article by Max Balchin. Photos by Angela Hennel & Graham Ford. Results compiled by David Armstrong.
Results: Women
| F18 |
|
200m: Catherine Brennan 26.11 (+0.5); Leah Phillips 26.57 (+0.5); Olivia Getson 26.96 (+1.3); 800m: Sarah Leeming 2:43.44; Maria Benke 2:49.02; Sam Quinn 2:57.99; 3000m: Sarah Leeming 12:47.73; 400mH: Maria Benke 84.82; 4x400m: 4:39.80; High Jump: Maria Benke NH; Long Jump: Taryn Ashby 4.12m (0.0); Maria Benke 3.79m (-0.3); Shot Put: Anika Peachey 9.39m; Hammer: Anika Peachey 37.35m; 3000mW: Jaqueline Cowell 22:08.7h; |
| F20 |
|
200m: Ashleigh Hamilton 26.89(+0.4); Crista Ashby 27.34 (+0.4); 400mH: Victoria Moodie 83.90; 4x400m: Relay 4:46.16; High Jump: Ashleigh Hamilton 1.60m; Victoria Moodie 1.35m Long Jump: Ashleigh Hamilton 5.33m(+0.6); Crista Ashby 4.10m (+0.2) Shot Put: Ashleigh Hamilton 10.80m; |
Results: Men
| M14 |
|
200m: Nicholas Phillips 30.78(+2.1); 800m: Dean Neofitou 2:11.80; Luke Kidgell 2:22.14; 200mH: Nicholas Phillips 35.58(+2.4); 4x400m: 4:24.84; High Jump: Nicholas Phillips 1.45m; Lachlan Cowell 1.20m; Long Jump: Nicholas Phillips 4.26m(-0.3); Cooper Owen 3.59(+1.7); Shot Put: Lachlan Cowell 7.04m; Nicholas Phillps 6.86m; 1500mW: Cooper Owen 7:49.0h; Lachlan Cowell DQ; |
| M16 |
|
200m: Matthew Haynes 23.31(-0.7); Kieren Poppe 28.54(+1.4); Matthew Mineo 26.75(+1.4); 800m: Matthew Sholakis 2:01.75; Jack Kidgell 2:10.33; Aidan Smith 2:24.33; 3000m: Matthew Sholakis 11:19.12; 4x400m: 3:53.44; High Jump: Josip Milovac 1.75m; Kieren Poppe 1.55m; Long Jump: Matthew Haynes 5.48m(+1.4); Matthew Sholakis 5.19(+0.6); Shot Put: Matthew Mineo 11.42m; Hammer: Matthew Mineo 29.11m; |
| M18 |
|
200m: Nathan Holmes 24.04(+3.2); Jack Lewis 24.11(+3.0); Taylor Mills 24.03(+0.5); 800m: Jack Lewis 2:04.87; Iain Douglas 2:10.21; Brynton Ashton 2:10.93; 3000m: Paul Townsend 9:13.08; Brynton Ashton 9:56.41; 400mH: Iain Douglas 57.09; 4x400m: 3:28.76; High Jump: Shaun Cooke 1.60m; Patrick Lacock-Smith NH; Long Jump: Joshua Clancy 5.32m(0.0); Patrick Lacock-Smith 4.75m(0.0); Shot Put: Shaun Cooke 10.55m; Joshua Clancy 9.91m; Hammer: Patrick Lacock-Smith 25.97m; Joshua Clancy 16.33m; |
| M20 |
|
200m: Matthew Smith 23.08(+0.1); Beau Romans Van Schaik 23.83(+0.1); 800m: Nathan Riali 2:03.74; Shane LeFevre 2:06.06; 400mH: Matthew Smith 56.64; Aaron Smith 57.14; 4x400m: 3:26.98; High Jump: Aaron Smith 1.70m; Long Jump: Nathan Riali 6.29m(+0.4); Shot Put: Shane LeFevre 10.54m; |
| M40+ |
|
200m: William Getson 25.57(+0.9); Bernie Smith 26.87(+1.2); Darren Quix 25.96(NWI); 800m: Antony Milovac 2:14.94; Chris Lynch 2:24.84; Rob Wendel 2:54.54; 5000m: Chris Lynch 17:28.89; Phil Champion 17:40.77; Quent Kidgell 18:12.28; 400mH: Graham Ford 72.08; Greg Champion 82.01; 4x400m: 3:52.16; High Jump: Luke De Bias 1.60m; William Getson 1.50m; Long Jump: Luke De Bias 5.63m(+0.5); Darren Quix 4.96m(+0.6); Shot Put: Andrew Stirling 11.34m; Frank Peachey 9.68m; Hammer: Andrew Stirling 37.93m; Frank Peachey 31.34m; 3000mW: Gary Hammett 16:55.4h; Peter Laurence DQ; |
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