Athletics action for all ages

ATHLETICS Bendigo Region, and Little Athletics Bendigo, are ready for a big Saturday of track and field action at the Retreat Road complex in Flora Hill.

From 8.15am, a Little Aths come-and-try day will take off, with many youngsters expected to have a go at running, jumping, and throwing.

Little Aths is where many of the country’s best track and field athletes first made their start, and inspired by Australia’s feats at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games, boys and girls will be keen for a taste of track and field.

Among those competing in Birmingham was Bendigo’s own marathon star Andy Buchanan.

A brilliant runner across a wide range of distances on the track, road, or cross-country, Buchanan is coach for many of the Bendigo region’s up-and-coming runners.

Several of those will take to the Flora Hill track from 1.30pm on Saturday to contest round three in Athletics Victoria’s Shield League season.

It’s not just about aiming for personal best times, distances, or heights, but also about scoring points for a club.

Eaglehawk is in premier division against the might of Essendon, Diamond Valley, Western Athletics and Doncaster. The Hawks were third in the season opener and fifth in round two.

Floods decimated the Hawks’ line-up for round two in AVSL. The Two Blues were without 16 athletes who had intended to compete.

The Hawks scored 31,650 in round two, but scratchings cost the club an estimated 13,200 points.

South Bendigo and Bendigo Harriers were fifth and sixth in the latest round for division two teams.

The Bloods were down six members and a possible 4200 points, as the Harriers lost about 1400 from their projected tally.

Bendigo University has finished third and fifth in the opening two rounds in division five.