VALLEY ATHLETES PASS THE CHAMPIONSHIP TEST
The 2026 Open, U20 & Overage Victorian Track & Field Championships held at Lakeside Stadium over 4 days proved to be a valuable test of talent and endurance for the 41 (16 Female & 25 Male) competing DVAC athletes. Many made the journey into Lakeside on a number of days to compete but all agreed that the experience gained was well worth the effort.
In the Open & U20 age groups, the 29 (13 Female & 16 male) DVAC athletes won six medals over the Championships (1 Gold, 3 Silver & 2 Bronze).
The 8 (3 Female & 5 Male) DVAC Overage athletes raked in a massive haul of 15 medals (9 Gold, 2 Silver & 4 Bronze).
The 4 DVAC athletes who competed in the Para (Ambulant) category did the Valley proud with their 9 medal tally (4 Gold, 4 Silver and 1 Bronze).
DVAC can also take pride in the fact that the club volunteers filled the Club Helper roster allocated to it by AV. (Names listed below.)
OPEN & U20 CHAMPIONSHIPS
Elyssia Kenshole again proved that she is one of Australia’s most talented Pole Vaulters by winning the Open Women’s title. Coming into the competition at 3.85m, Elyssia won the competition with clearances over 3.85m, 4.00m & 4.10m. Elyssia’s next meet will be at the Maurie Plant meet at Lakeside on Saturday 28thMarch 2026.
Maddison Nash (F20) won a Silver medal in the Open 5000m Walk with a personal best time of 24:07.27. This time broke the 12 year old DVAC club record of 24:27.3 set by Eliza Clarke.
Keely Boyne (F Open) capped off her most successful season of sprinting with a Bronze Medal in the Female Open 100m when she crossed in 12.10. There was confusion as to who won Silver or Bronze at the end of the final but after examination it was determined that Keely had missed out on the Silver by 0.005 second! Katie Oliver (F20) finished in 7th place in her first Open final in 12.38.
Both Keely and Katie made it to the Final of the Open 200m where Keely placed 5th in 24.55 and Katie placed 7th in 24.76.
Vanessa Smith (F20) had a very successful campaign at the Championships winning medals in the F20 Hammer Throw (2nd, 38.09m) and the F20 Javelin (2nd, 39.36m). In the F Open Hammer Throw, Vanessa placed 4th with a personal best distance of 40.73m. Vanessa had another personal best result in the F20 Discus where she placed 4th with a distance of 32.98m. Tara Smith (F20) was just off a personal best distance when she threw the Hammer 43.42m in the F Open Hammer Throw to place 9th.
Jesse Mayne (FOpen) & Matilda L’Estrange (F20) both ran season best times in the Heats of the Open 1500m. Jesse ran 4:47.74 and Matilda clocked 4:59.09.
Mackenzie Genders (F20) was only 1cm off her best Long Jump distance in the Final of the F20 Long Jump where she placed 11th with 4.94m.
Asher Andrews (M20) won Bronze in the M20 Pole Vault but in terms of personal achievement it was definitely a gold medal performance. Asher added 15cm on to his previous best clearance of 4.20m.
Caden Murray made the final of the Open Men’s 1500m where he finished 8th in 3:55.74. Caden had posted the fastest qualifying time of 3:53.24.
Thomas Short (M20) went as close as possible to winning a medal in the final of the M20 800m where all of the first four crossed in 1:55. Thomas was nominated as fourth in a time of 1:55.98. He had qualified with the fastest time of 1:56.80. Thomas had also run the 1500m in 4:19.72.
PB’s Galore: An incomplete list of pb performances at the Vic Champs includes the following:
100m: Janusz Kubicki (U18) 11.98; James Hurley (Open) 11.88
200m: James Hurley (Open) 23.75; Zander Botha (U16) 23.26;
400m: Zander Botha (U16) 51.36; Jaxon Latchman 52.38
800m: Glen Imbriano 2:00.66
1500m: Nicholas Tomkins 4:17.58
3000m: Rhodri Whelan (U20) 9:20.28
Season Best:
2000m Steeplechase: Blake Barnes: 10:11.88
OVERAGE CHAMPIONSHIPS
Gaelyne Kenshole (55-59) won Gold Medals in the Pole Vault with an equal pb of 2.75m; Long Jump: 3.95m; and the Triple Jump: 8.06m.
Victoria Lindores (40-44) won a Gold Medal in the 100m: 14.72; and Bronze medals in the Long Jump: 3.96m; and the Triple Jump: 8.54m.
Anni Rowe (55-59) won Gold in the Hammer Throw: 36.74m; and Bronze in the Discus: 23.20m.
Damien Cusack (40-44) won Gold in the Javelin: 34.55m; and finished 4th in the 1500m: 5:05.49.
Paul Schofield (50-54) won Gold in the High Jump: 1.60m
Adam Scott (55-59) won Gold in the Discus: 24.11m; and Silver in the 200m: 27.49; and the 400m: 59.02.
Darren Casey (55-59) won Gold in the Hammer Throw: 20.62m.
Arunan Arumainayagam (45-49) won Bronze in the Javelin: 21.29m.
PARA CHAMPIONSHIPS
- Denotes personal best performance.
Kirra Wright (U20 T&F 36)won Gold in the 200m: 31.83* (88.62%); 400m: 76.77* (87.22%); Shot Put: 7.95m (67.43%) as well as a Silver medal in the 100m: 15.18 (90.11%).
Jordan Rudd (U20 T20) won Gold in the 400m: 54.73 (85.62%); and Silver in the 1500m: 4:49.32 (77.94%). Jordan was placed 5th in the M AMB 200m: 25.19 (85.15%).
Dillon Vidanapathirana (Open T20) won Silver in the 400m: 55.24* (84.24%) and was placed 4th in the 200m: 24.49* (87.58%).
Ryan Blair (Open F38) won Silver in the Shot Put: 12.68m (79.48%) and Bronze in the Discus: 33.55m (63.40%)
THANKS TO THE DVAC CLUB HELPERS
A huge vote of THANKS from all at the DVAC community to the following members who kindly offered their time to act as CLUB HELPERS. Between these people over 30 hours of Club Helper duty made an important contribution to the smooth running of the Vic Champs.
Justin Botha, Cathy Tomkins, Lyn Davis, Charmaine Smith (2 Shifts), Brodie Batt, Hanna Rowe, Victoria Lindores (2 Shifts), Brooke Rudd, Tony Kenshole, Paul Schofield, Maryann Murray
2026 VICTORIAN TRACK & FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS
Open, U20 & Overage
Lakeside Stadium
Thur 19 March – Sun 22 March 2026
DVAC Results:
Female OP
100m: Keely Boyne 12.10 (-1.2) (3rd); 11.94 (0.1) (P); Katie Oliver 12.38 (-1.2) (7th); 12.24 (-0.1) (P);
200m: Keely Boyne 24.55 (1.8) (5th); 24.57 (+0.0) (P); Katie Oliver 24.76 (1.8) (7th); 24.84 (-1.0) (P);
800m: Matilda Johnson 2:15.42 (P);
1500m: Matilda L'Estrange 4:59.08 (P); Jesse Mayne 4:47.74 (P);
5000m Walk: Maddison Nash 24:07.27 (2nd);
Hammer: Tara Smith 43.42m (9th);
Javelin: Vanessa Smith 40.73m (4th);
Pole Vault: Elyssia Kenshole 4.10m (1st);
Female 20
100m: Elisha Blair 12.83 (-1.0) (7th); 12.65 (-0.2) (S); 12.61 (1.4) (P);
800m: Poppy Scot-Dalgleish 2:29.12 (P);
Discus: Vanessa Smith 32.98m (4th);
Hammer: Vanessa Smith 38.09m (2nd);
Javelin: Vanessa Smith 39.36m (2nd);
Long Jump: Mackenzie Genders 4.94m (1.5) (11th);
Female 40-44
100m: Victoria Lindores 14.72 (-0.9) (1st);
Long Jump: Victoria Lindores 3.96m (0.6) (3rd);
Triple Jump: Victoria Lindores 8.54m (0.4) (3rd);
Female 55-59
Discus: Anni Rowe 23.20m (3rd);
Hammer: Anni Rowe 36.74m (1st);
Long Jump: Gaelyne Kenshole 3.95m (-0.7) (1st);
Pole Vault: Gaelyne Kenshole 2.75m (1st);
Triple Jump: Gaelyne Kenshole 8.06m (-0.2) (1st);
Male OP
100m: James Hurley 11.88 (-0.8) (P); Hayden Moon 11.55 (-0.8) (P);
200m: James Hurley 23.75 (-0.5) (P); Christos Kozaris 23.64 (-0.1) (P); Josh Koegler 23.34 (0.4) (P); Zander Botha 23.26 (0.9) (P); Hayden Moon 23.76 (-0.1) (P);
1500m: Caden Murray 3:55.74 (8th); 3:53.24 (P);
3000m Steeple: Blake Barnes 10:11.88 (5th);
Long Jump: James Hurley 6.06m (-0.2) (9th);
Male 20
100m: Asher Andrews DNS (0.1); 11.13 (1.0) (P); Jaxon Latchman DNS (0.1); 11.15 (0.4) (P); Janusz Kubicki 11.98 (1.4) (P);
400m: Asher Andrews 54.10 (P); Zander Botha 51.36 (P); Jaxon Latchman 52.38 (P);
800m: Thomas Short 1:55.91 (4th); 1:56.80 (P); Glen Imbriano 2:00.66 (P);
1500m: Nicholas Tomkins DNS; 4:17.95 (P); Thomas Short 4:19.72 (P);
3000m: Rhodri Whelan 9:20.28 (20th);
Discus: Asher Andrews FOUL;
Hammer: Ahmad Sbayeh DNS;
High Jump: Janusz Kubicki 1.75m (5th);
Javelin: Asher Andrews 47.47m (4th);
Pole Vault: Asher Andrews 4.35m (3rd);
Shot Put: Asher Andrews 12.09m (6th);
Male 40-44
1500m: Damien Cusack 5:05.49 (4th);
High Jump: Damien Cusack DNS;
Javelin: Damien Cusack 34.55m (1st);
Male 45-49
Hammer: Arunan Arumainayagam 18.49m (5th);
Javelin: Arunan Arumainayagam 21.29m (3rd);
Shot Put: Arunan Arumainayagam 6.83m (5th);
Male 50-54
Discus: Lalith Udugampala DNS;
High Jump: Paul Schofield 1.60m (1st);
Javelin: Lalith Udugampala SCR;
Long Jump: Lalith Udugampala DNS;
Triple Jump: Lalith Udugampala SCR;
Male 55-59
200m: Adam Scott 27.49 (0.5) (2nd);
400m: Adam Scott 59.02 (2nd);
Discus: Adam Scott 24.11m (1st);
Hammer: Darren Casey 20.62m (1st);
Female AMB
100m: Kirra Wright 15.18 (0.1) (2nd);
200m: Kirra Wright 31.83 (0.4) (1st);
400m: Kirra Wright 76.77 (1st);
Shot Put: Kirra Wright 7.95m (1st);
Male AMB
200m: Dillon Vidanapathirana 24.49 (-0.1) (4th); Jordan Rudd 25.19 (-0.1) (5th);
400m: Jordan Rudd 54.73 (1st); Dillon Vidanapathirana 55.24 (2nd);
800m: Jordan Rudd DNS;
1500m: Jordan Rudd 4:49.32 (2nd);
Discus: Ryan Blair 33.55m (3rd);
Shot Put: Ryan Blair 12.68m (2nd);
(Compiled by Max Balchin)
