All-Time Upper Hume Athletics Records

We love to celebrate the strong history of our school, especially in School Sport, and with Merlin Tzaros breaking his 2nd Upper Hume Athletics carnival in Albury last week, adding it to the All-Time Record list reminds us of other past champions.

Merlin now has 2 records in his 1st 3 years of High School, and is one of only 5 students in the history of the school to be a Multiple Record holder. The only people with more, are legends Xanthea Dewez, Luke Brabazon and Bree Spasojevic.

Xanthea Dewez’s 3 records are of note as they are in 3 different events - 800m, 1500m and 3000m. She was also a champion Cross Country skier, and in that same period competed in World Championship Ski Championships around the world including the countries of Austria, Germany, Czech Republic, Sweden, Italy and Kazakhstan. One of the great all-rounders we have seen come through the school, she went on to study Medicine and I believe is now a Doctor. 

Luke Brabazon holds 3 records set as a Year 7 and 8 which have stood now for almost 20 years. “Braba” was a Man Mountain and a real larrikin. 

Bree Spasojevic was another champion whose records in Long Jump and the 400m were so elite that they still stand 30 years later. To hold one record for so long would be something, but to hold 3 is extraordinary. Bree is one of the extreme few to have scored a perfect 50/50 in Year 12 Physical Education, (Ulrika Wild in 2021 may be the only to have done it since), then returned as a P.E teacher at the school, and has recently coached many junior champions at Little Athletics.

Other than Merlin, Jack Boulton is the only one in the last decade to hold one, last year breaking the 200m. Although Jack only attended with us in Year 11 and 12 after crossing rom Cathedral, he is the greatest athlete we’ve ever had, and probably that Wangaratta has ever had, alongside Bella Pasquali who is also breaking records up there every year including 3 more this year. 

Not only does Jack hold 10 Upper Hume records, the most of anybody ever, but he would have far more if not for the Lockdowns which saw the carnival cruelly cancelled in both 2020 and 2021 when he was in his prime. To highlight how good he was, he also won National Gold Medals at the  Australian Junior Championships in the 100m, 200m and 400m, including breaking an all-time Australian record at 400m. Phenomenal.

The list contains many names of interest with strong family links. Liam Patrick was recruited to Wesley College in Melbourne on a Sport Scholarship not long after setting that Triple Jump record as a 15 year old in 2012, and is now a model often spotted in the online catalogues online stores such as Cotton On. His father Craig was also an athlete of note when attending here, making a Victorian Country football team, being part of a Year 11-12 Herald Sun Cup State Champ footy team, and then being drafted to North Melbourne in the AFL. Two other boys from that same footy team also got drafted to the AFL (Scott Williamson to West Coast and Joe Wilson to Brisbane). 

Some other footballers litter the list. Daniel Boyle was rookie-listed to Port Adelaide, and held many Upper Hume records for a time which have been picked off over the years since, only his Javelin & Relay ones still in place. Incredibly Boyley won State Gold Medals at both the 100m and 200m in 4 of the 6 years that he attended here. Boyley recalls in Year 12 at the State Champs running 2nd in both the 100m and 200m to his main rival through those years - future Brownlow Medalist Patrick Dangerfield.

Michael Bertalli holds two 1500m records which are an impressive 24 and 25 years old. His younger brother Bradley attends here now. Interestingly, Merlin Tzaros will be gunning for both of Bertalli’s long-standing records over the next two years. 

Kieran Boal is another multiple winner, holding an 800m record almost 20 years old, as well as a 4x100 Relay. His dad Steve was a P.E teacher at the school for many years before becoming a Paramedic.

Another one of interest is Catherine Collins, whose Triple Jump record from 1993 has lasted an amazing 30 years. Her daughter, Emily Swinburne, last week won the Shot Put at the same complex.

We look forward to updating this list with future winners when they arise. With the Hume Region Athletics carnival coming up next term, we’ll also have a look at how many records we have at that stage.

• Jud Mullins