VALLEY RUNNERS SHINE AT NATIONALS
2025 AUSTRALIAN CROSS COUN TRY CHAMPIONSHIPS
Eight Diamond Valley Athletic Club athletes (6 Male & 2 Female) competed at the 2025 Australian Cross Country Championships held at Victoria Park, Ballarat on Saturday 23 August 2025. The course at Victoria Park challenged athletes constantly with its tight turns, short but sharp hills, obstacles and even several freshly watered mud stretches. Ballarat turned on two days of near perfect weather for the Championships.
The Valley athletes competed in the following order:
Jett Hollingsworth, MU13, finished in 18th position from a field of 71 and covered the 3km in 10:46.
Jordan Rudd lined up in a big field of Para athletes to contest the PU20 Championship with 13 in his division. Jordan was placed 4th after crossing the finish line in 11:16. Jordan got away to a flying start and for much of the first kilometre photos reveal that he even headed off the eventual winner and Para Olympian, Michael Roeger.
Vincent Donnadeui ran in the Open Male 10km Championship race and finished in 21st place in a field of 61 athletes. Once the race settled down, Vincent held his position throughout the 2 laps of 2km and the 2 laps of 3km. Vincent completed the 10km in 32:07.
Myles Boyle, MU15, completed the 4km in 13:56 to place 20th in a field of 70.
DVAC was represented by two athletes in the FU16 Championship race over 4km. Grace Robinson finished in 43rd position with a time of 16:40 and Isabella Napolitano crossed in 17:00 to place 50th. Matilda Johnson had qualified to compete in the Victorian team but was unable to take part due to illness.
Brodie Batt, MU17, handled the 6km distance well and finished strong when he crossed in 21:14 to place 40th in a field of 73.
Cameron Ellis, MU20, finished in the top half of the strong lineup in the Under 20 8km Championship race. Cameron completed the 8km in 27:04.
On the Sunday, DVAC was represented by a team in the U18 Mixed 4 x 2km Relays. The team of Ethan Armstrong-Bourne, Isabella Napolitano, Brodie Batt and Georgia L’Estrange completed the total distance of 8km in 28:28 to place 17th in a field of 22 teams.
DVAC President, Paul Schofield, was out on the course at Ballarat in his capacity as an AV Official. David Armstrong had a part in assisting with the course set-up. Tim Logan ran the Para 3km course and a guide to a vision impaired athlete.
With the Australian Cross Country Championships due to be held in Ballarat for the next two years, DVAC athletes should be aiming to include this event in their calendar.
AUSTRALIAN ATHLETICS CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS
23 August 2025
Victoria Park, Ballarat
DVAC Results:
Female:
Under 16:
Grace Robinson: 4km Cross Country: 16:40: 43rd: Field of 58
Isabella Napolitano: 4km Cross Country: 17:00: 50th: Field of 58
Male:
Under 13:
Jett Hollingsworth: 3km Cross Country: 10:46: 18th : Field of 71
Under 15:
Myles Boyle 4km Cross Country: 13:56: 20th: Field of 70
Under 17:
Brodie Batt: 6km Cross Country: 21:14: 40th: Field of 73
Under 20:
Cameron Ellis: 8km Cross Country: 27:04: 31st: Field of 68
Under 20 Para:
Jordan Rudd (T20): 3km Cross Country: 11:16 (33.44%): 4th: Field of 13
Under 15 Para:
Callum Razzagoi (T20): 3km Cross Country: 12:02 (31.32%): 3rd: Field of 12
Open:
Vincent Donnadeui: 10km Cross Country: 32:07: 21st: Field of 61
Mixed Cross Country Relays:
U 18: 4 x 2000m Mixed Relay:
Diamond Valley Athletic Club: (Ethan Armstrong-Bourne; Isabella Napoletano; Brodie Batt; Georgia L’Estrange): 28:28 17th: Field of 22 Teams
