SEVERAL athletes from Bendigo Region are likely to be in contention for medals in this weekend’s start to Athletics Victoria Track and Field Championships at Melbourne’s Lakeside Stadium.

Action starts on Friday night in the Albert Park precinct and rolls through Saturday and Sunday.

Many of Bendigo’s best were in great form on home turf at last month’s St Anne’s Vineyards-sponsored Victoria Country titles in Bendigo.

Although hampered by injury in the build-up to the state titles, South Bendigo’s Emma Berg is a force to be reckoned with in the women’s open shot put.

A national champion, Berg achieved a mark of 14.70m to win gold at last year’s state championships.

Eaglehawk’s Olivia Graham has starred in hammer throw all season.

A mark of 48.87m earned silver in the open final at the 2021 state titles.

At this year’s country titles she achieved a mark of 48.89m to win gold.

This season’s AVSL action has regularly featured Olivia Graham surpassing the 50 metre mark.

In the high jump action, Bendigo Harriers’ young gun Liam Shadbolt will contest the under-16 final.

From near Swan Hill, Shadbolt leapt 1.84m to win the under-15s title at last year’s state champs.

His build-up included a leap of 1.90m to strike gold at last month’s Victoria Country titles.

One of Victoria’s best in high jump for many seasons, Eaglehawk’s Denise Snyder will contest the open final at 3pm on Saturday at Lakeside.

Snyder soared 1.70m to win gold at the Victoria Country championships.

In shot put, Bendigo Harriers’ Jake Gavriliadis is in top form.

A mark of 14.01m earned silver in the under-16 final at the country titles.

Cohuna speedster Kye Mason will wear the famous Two Blues of Eaglehawk as he races in the open 100m and 400m on Friday night.

A time of 50.10 clinched gold for Mason in the 400m at the country titles, but he will be aiming to go faster to qualify for the nationals in Sydney.

In distance running, South Bendigo’s Logan and Chelsea Tickell will be determined to perform well in the 1500m for the under-17 and under-14 age groups.

This season Logan has broken several Bendigo Centre and track records.

He ran the 1500m in 4:05.16 to claim silver in the under-18 final at the country titles.

A highlight of Sunday’s action will be the under-18 2000m steeplechase where the Harriers’ Harrison Boyd and University’s Jayden Padgham compete.

A multiple record-breaker in hammer throw, Hailey Stubbs is another of the Harriers to watch in the under-15s class.

Athletes with links to Bendigo Region competing this weekend:

Bendigo Harriers – Harrison Boyd under-18 1500m, 2000m steeple. Eliza Coutts under-18 high jump. Caitlin Evans under-18 400m. Harriet Gall under-17 high jump. Jake Gavriliadis under-17 shot put. Hannah Greenman under-20 hammer. Haylee Greenman under-20 hammer. Frances Leach under-18 high jump. Daniel Noden under-17 400m. Liam Shadbolt under-16 high jump. Hailey Stubbs under-15 hammer, shot put. Merlin Tzaros under-15 1500m.

Eaglehawk – Andrea Archibald under-18 100m. Olivia Graham open hammer. Laura Kadri open 100m, 400m. Lily Marsh under-17 triple jump. Rosy Marsh under-17 triple jump. Kye Mason open 100m, 400m. Angus McKindlay under-20 400m. Claire Noonan under-20 hammer. Kenan Seebah under-20 100m, 400m. Cameron Smith under-18 100m, 400m. Denise Snyder open high jump. Scarlett Southern under-16 100m, 400m.

South Bendigo – Emma Berg open shot put. Genevieve Nihill under-16 1500m. Jemma Norton under-17 hammer. Kai Norton under-14 hammer, shot put. Jasper Seymour under-14 shot put. Chelsea Tickell under-14 1500m.  Logan Tickell under-17 1500m.

University – Nathan Crowley open 400m. Nicolette Lesberg open 1500m. Angus Macafee under-18 1500m. Avery McDermid under-15 1500m. Jayden Padgham under-18 2000m steeple. Tullie Rowe under-20 1500m.

Shepparton – Glenn McMillan open 1500m. Antonio Vaitohi under-20 100m.

Albury – Logan Sandland under-17 hammer, shot put.