VALLEY WALKERS EXCEL ON NATIONAL STAGE
Junior Walkers, Emmet Brasier and Cooper Owen were not going to let the big stage of the 2011 Australian Schools Track & Field Championships overwhelm them as they lined up for the Under 14 3000m Walk. The Diamond Valley Athletic Club members, coached by Matthew Owen, showed that they had the right temperament to cope with the pressure as they both covered the distance in new personal best times and both finished standing on the podium with place medals around their necks.
Emmet Brasier finished in second place in 14:52.72, setting a new club record, while Cooper Owen crossed the line in third place in 14:54.19.
Nine members of the Diamond Valley Athletic Club journeyed to Brisbane for the 2011 Australian Schools Track & Field Championships.
Monica Brennan won the bronze medal in the final of the Women's 100m. In the final of the 200m, Brennan was placed second in a time of 24.28. Gabrielle Brennan made the final of the 200m where she placed 8th in 25.76.
Lara Kolar (WU14) made significant reductions on both her 800m time and her 1500m time. Kolar lowered her best time for the 800m to 2:20.00 and in the 1500m she brought her best time down to 4:48.97.Both times set new DVAC club records across a number of age groups. Kolar, 12, still has another year in the Under 14 age group.
Dean Neofitou (MU16) lowered his time for the 1500m to 4:11.70, slicing three seconds off his own club record for the Under 16 age group. He finished 5th in the 1500m and 8th in the 3000m.
Alana Toso ran the Under 14 100m in 13.32. Maddison Coates ran her first sub-26 second 200m in the Heats of the Women Under 16 200m. Kyle Parkinson completed the 400m Hurdles in 56.12 to lower his own club record for the Men's Under 18 age group.
Article and results compilation by Max Balchin. Photos courtesy of Athletics Victoria.
Results Women| Under 18: |
| Monica Brennan 100m 12.08 Heat Q;
12.13 Final (3rd);
200m 24.54 Heat Q;
24.28 Final (2nd) Gabrielle Brennan 100m 12.65* Heat Q; 200m 25.65 Heat q; 25.76 Final (8th) Monica Brennan & Gabrielle Brennan were members of the Women's Under 18 1000m Sprint Medley Swedish team that won in a time of 2:11.67. |
| Under 16: |
| Maddison Coates 200m 25.98* Heat |
| Under 14: |
| Lara Kolar 800m 2:20.00** Final (6th);
1500m 4:48.97** Final (5th) Alana Toso 100m 13.32 Heat ; Vic 'A' 4x100m Relay 50.66 Final (2nd) |
Results Men
| Under 18: |
| Kyle Parkinson 400m Hurdles 56.12** Final (6th) |
| Under 16: |
| Dean Neofitou 1500m 4:11.70** Final (5th); 3000m 9:23.71 Final (8th) |
| Under 14: |
| Emmet Brasier 3000m Walk 14:52.72** Final (2nd); Cooper Owen 3000m Walk 14:54.19* Final (3rd) |