Records smashed in field, track showdowns in AVSL Round 5

Yet MORE records were broken as Bendigo Region hosted the fifth round of Athletics Victoria’s AVSL track and field on Saturday in the hammer, discus, 200m sprint and hurdles.

Eaglehawk’s Rhondda Dundas marked the rare feat of two records in one day: Competing in the 70-plus class, Dundas set Bendigo Centre records of 18.02m at hammer, and 13.89m in discus.

A newcomer to the Hawks’ squad after previously competing for South Bendigo, Damian Horan marked his comeback to the Flora Hill track by starring in the 200m.

Horan’s time of 22.94 broke the 35-plus record and also earned 434 points in the teams race.

Bendigo Harriers’ young gun Hailey Stubbs broke the under-14s hammer record she set a fortnight earlier when she achieved a mark of 38.13m to score 457 points.

In the hurdles action, South Bendigo’s Trudy Haines completed the 300m in 66.19 to break her Bendigo 50-plus record.

Many athletes broke season-bests across a wide range of disciplines contested at the Retreat Road complex in Flora Hill.

Bendigo Harriers’ veteran Geoff Shaw scored 1374 to be 15^th in the most valuable athlete standings for the round.

Highlights for Shaw, a world masters 70-plus decathlon champion, were 2.80m at pole vault; 1.30m at high jump; and 4.16m at long jump.

Harriers’ clubmate Jake Gavriliadis starred at long jump, 5.25m, and discus, 54.49m, on his way to a tally of 1319 and 29^th in the MVA scores.

The ‘Mr Consistent’ of the Eaglehawk line-up, Terry Hicks was 46^th on 1268 points.

Best events for Hicks were long jump, 4.13m; and high jump, 1.25m.

The Hawks had David Chisholm and Cameron Smith score 1237 and 1217 points to be 58^th and 67^th.

A time of 70.18 in the 400m hurdles added 449 to Chisholm’s tally.

A newcomer to the Hawks’ squad, Smith starred in the 200m, 23.29; and high jump, 1.65m.

South Bendigo’s Kai Norton was 70^th in the MVA on 1215 points.

Best events for Norton were hammer, 30.42m; discus, 31.59m; and high jump, 1.45m.

A state champion at high jump, Eaglehawk’s Denise Snyder cleared 1.70m at high jump to earn 461 points.

A leap of 4.98m at long jump and discus throw of 25.36m put her on 1241 points and 71^st in the MVA standings.

Eaglehawk’s Lily Marsh scored 1199 to be 79^th, and South Bendigo’s Carol Coad was 80^th on 1197.

High scorers for South Bendigo included Jennifer Payne, 1500m walk, 510; Emma Berg, discus, 479; Rhys Lias, 800m, 458; Oliver Muggleton, 200m, 456; Amber Fox, discus, 440; Belle Guillou, 200m, 439; Carol Coad, 200m, 408.

In the 1500m walk, Tiffany Bussem-Jorgensen from Bendigo Harriers won in 7:48.10 and scored 452 points.

Other stars for Harriers included Anne Buckley, 5000m, 446; Eliza Coutts, high jump, 443; Abbey Conquer, 200m, 426; Caitlin Evans, 200m, 414; and Hunter Gill, hammer, 414.

Father and daughter, Craig and Olivia Graham hit marks of 34.45m and 50.61m at hammer throw to earn 471 and 497 points.

Another of the Hawks’ best was Lewis McIntosh in the 200m, 418 points.

A highlight for University was the leap of 1.35m by Ross Douglas to earn 413 points in the high jump showdown.

In the race for points in Premier division, Eaglehawk scored 37,446 to be third, but was pushed down to fourth as Collingwood doubled its tally through the Powerplay.

Essendon won the round on 54,459 and doubled its points tally to 20 through the Powerplay.

Leading teams in division two were Keilor St Bernards, 30,393; and Western Athletics, 27,208.

Bendigo Harriers scored 26,292, but Mornington which scored 23,962 used the Powerplay.

South Bendigo was fifth in division two on 23,459.

Bendigo University was fourth in division five on 2975 as Williamstown, Ivanhoe and Maccabi led the way.