Michelsen finalist races 5km Frenzy

IN the running for the Cyril Michelsen Trust Fund in the Bendigo Sports Star of the Year across 2020 and ’21, Archie Reid will race in this Friday night’s 5km Frenzy in Bendigo.

A goal for Reid who is from Moama and member of South Bendigo Athletics Club will be to beat the qualifying time of 14:25 for next month’s Australian track and field championships in Sydney.

It’s been a busy road for the runner.

The 20-year-old ran a time of 30:08.42 to be 13th in the Zatopek 10,000m at Melbourne’s Lakeside Stadium on Australia Day.

Reid and Bendigo University star Andy Buchanan, 10th in 30:08.87 were up against a field led by Tokyo Olympics marathon runner Jack Rayner. (Ultram)

Last December, Reid ran the half-marathon, or 21.1 kilometres, at the Melbourne Marathon Festival and was eighth in 1:06.38.

It’s the second running of the 5km Frenzy and a major part of the Bendigo Harriers Athletics Club’s 100-year celebrations.

Meanwhile Buchanan will be chasing back-to-back titles against a field that includes Bendigo Bats XCR team-mates Brady Threlfall, Nathan Stoate, Jamie Cook and Matt Buckell.

A year ago, Reid ran 14:59 be ninth in the Frenzy, now he returns fitter and stronger.

The 5km Frenzy has drawn South Australian young gun Cael Mulholland who will aim to break the state’s under-18 record.

Also in action in the main events for men and women will be Ballarat Harriers’ Toby Menday, South Bendigo’s Taryn Furletti, University’s Rebecca Wilkinson, and South Melbourne’s Simone Brick.

Racing will be under lights at the Bendigo Regional Athletics Complex in Flora Hill’s Retreat Road from 6pm and includes 1000m events for under-14s and various grades.

The scholarship recipients in Sports Star of the Year go into the running for the Maxine Crouch and Cyril Michelsen Trust Fund awards.

The finalists are Layla Day for swimming, Abbey Hromenko, Jayden Padgham, Archie Reid and Logan Tickell for athletics, AFL player Ocavia Di Donato, rower Eliza Oxley, Lucy Membrey for gymnastics and and Ruby Turner for netball.

Bendigo’s Sports Star of the Year presentation is on Friday, February 25 at the All Seasons Resort in Bendigo’s McIvor Road.