Sport: HUME REGION ATHLETICS

Proud of our 20 athletes who competed at the School Sport Victoria Hume Region Track & Field Championships in Albury last Thursday 10th October, with 37 schools in attendance.

Our athletes won 22 medals in total - 5 Gold, 11 Silver and 6 Bronze. This haul is 8 more than our haul of 14 medals in 2023, and our best since at least 2019. A total of 6 athletes now progress to the State Track & Field Championships at Lakeside Stadium in Melbourne on Monday October 21st.

Year 10 Merlin Tzaros clinched the 1500m and 3000m titles to make it 2 Gold on the day, joining other Gold Medalists in Year 7 Bella Boulton (400m), Year 9 James Chisholm (Discus) and Year 8 Leo Woodburne(Triple Jump). They, plus Year 7 Paige-Lee Dummett (2nd in 1500m) have all qualified for the State Championships. Boulton & Tzaros also placed 3rd in their Age Group Champion awards

Boulton won her 400m 2.14 seconds clear of her Mansfield Secondary College rival, and ran .03 faster than her Upper Hume time a month ago. She also improved her times in the 100m (0.18 faster) and 200m (0.28 faster). She went home with 4 medals – the most of anyone in our team.

Woodburne won his Triple Jump by 26cm to his Alexandra Secondary College runner-up, and jumped 15cm further than at Upper Hume. Chisholm won his Discus by 5.67 from his Cobram Secondary College nemesis, and went 79cm further than Upper Hume.

Merlin, despite running slower than Upper Hume due to a knee complaint and not gunning for records at all, broke another all-time track record, this time the 3000m. Again, he has another 2 years in that event as it’s Open Age. 

It’s the 4th record in the last 2 months for the 15 year old Team Vic State Triathlon Team Member & Australian Top 10 Triathlete, after breaking 2 at Upper Hume level in September (1500m, 3000m), and our school’s 1500m mark in August. 

Merlin is now one of 7 students in our school’s history to hold a Hume Region Track & Field record. The most recent other, is Nick MacGibbon whose 200m record set in 2010 still stands. The only other from this century, is Keiran Boal’s 800m record from 2006. Michelle Kneebone (1995, Triple Jump), Bree Spasojevic (1994, 400m), Debbie McLaughlin (Long Jump in 1991 and 1992), and Gayle Parrott (1988 200m, 1989 100m) are the others. 

Interestingly, McLaughlin lost one her records on the day – Galen’s Bella Pasquali broke her 32 year old 200m record from 1992, by .71 of a second. MacGibbon was lucky to hold on to his too – Galen’s Callum Bott went within .30 of a second of snatching it.

Tom Ford collected two Silver Medals, but we believe was hard done by in his Triple Triple Jump, where a likely recording error shocked all competitors (including the announced winner) when another boy was given the Gold by 8cm. Ford had jumped 25cm further than his jump at Upper Hume. Despite Newmo lodging an extended protest on Tom’s behalf, it couldn’t be overturned. These things can happen in Sport and life unfortunately, and Tom, to no surprise to anyone who knows him, handled the situation in an incredibly mature, humble manner.

The Ford family by the way had a massive day out, claiming 5 medals and very likely being the best group of siblings at the event. Tom won two Silvers, Jack one Silver, and Kaity a Silver and Bronze.

Thanks to all students who represented us on a terrific day. You again were ultimate ambassadors for our school and making a positive impression on everyone there.

Thanks to Sandy “Newmo” Newman for accompanying us on the day as well.

Jud Mullins

Sport Coordinator