Running to state relay gold

BALLARAT runners put on a golden display at the State Relay Championships last week at Lakeside Stadium in Albert Park.

Wendouree Athletic Club’s Axel Caldow, Archie Caldow, and Zac Grainger, and Eureka Athletics Club’s Josh Johnston won their under-18 4000-metre race in 10 minutes and 51 seconds, representing the broader Ballarat Regional Athletics Centre community.

Although the team got the victory, Johnston said their performance was not without excitement and drama.

“The first leg of the relay was over 1200 metres which Zac Grainger ran. He was strongly leading the whole first two laps, until the last 200 metres when he was passed,” Johnston said.

“Zac gave the baton to Axel Caldow, who was then running 400 metres. Just as the baton was passed over, Axel ran into a guy who was on the track at the changeover point… but he just kept running.

“Axel sprinted, caught up to the winner, and it was a race until the next leg.”

When Caldow began his 800-metre stint, he was 20 metres behind the first-place team, but pushed ahead, passed them, and handed the baton to Johnston with a 30-metre lead.

“I had the last leg over 1600 metres, kept it at a consistent pace, before adding another 80 metres on rest of field in the last lap,” he said.

In challenging 36-degree heat, the Ballarat boys won the four-kilometre race by approximately 110 metres.

“We were nervous before the race, but it was a good feeling once we’d won, especially being from Ballarat versing the Melbourne clubs,” Johnston said.

“We were surprised we’d won by so much…. but it gave us some confidence, and we enjoyed competing on one of the best tracks in Australia.”