IT WAS a day to remember for Swan Hill’s Little Athletics Centre at the Victorian cross country championships last Saturday.
The undulating, slippery terrain of the course which wound its way through Templestowe’s Westerfolds Park did nothing to deter the determined group of nine Swan Hill runners who collectively, against fields of up to 85 runners, produced a result that surpasses anything previously achieved by the centre at this level.
While medals escaped the group, the results saw an impressive return of five top 10 placings and six top 20 finishes.
This was a remarkable result from a regional centre, and was testament both to the talent of the group, and the preparedness of the athletes to work hard in the regular training sessions that have been held throughout the season.
Their collective improvement is underlined by the fact that at last year’s championship the centre placed just one athlete in the top 20.
Nicholas Kearns led the way with a blistering effort that placed him eighth in the state in the Under 7s boys 1000m.
This set the standard for the day, and Miella Curthoys-Davies followed up soon after with an incredible fifth-placed effort in the Under 7s girls’ event.
Curthoys-Davies’ fifth placing is thought to be the highest ever achieved by a Swan Hill runner at the state cross-country championships.
For more on this story see Wednesday’s edition of The Guardian (July 29, 2015).
