Power surge hits aths meet

IT’S a double Power Play at Friday night’s field and track meet run by Athletics Bendigo Region at the Retreat Road complex.

Bendigo Harriers and Bendigo University will both flick the power switch to double the premiership points they earn in the 10th and final round of Athletics Victoria Shield League season.

Both clubs are fighting to gain a top-five finish in divisions two and five respectively to qualify for play-offs in late March.

Eaglehawk is third in Premier Division up against the powerful metro clubs, Essendon and Diamond Valley.

The South Bendigo squad has lifted dramatically in recent rounds to hold a top-five place in Division Two.

A big night of action at Flora Hill begins at 6.30pm when hurdles at the 110, 100, 90 and 80 metre distances are run.

First flights in shot put, javelin, triple jump and pole vault will also begin at 6.30pm.

Other events on the track will be the 2000 or 5000 metre walk and 100 and 400 metre sprints and the 1500 metre middle distance.

A non-scoring 3000 or 5000 metre run is pencilled in for an 8.30pm start.

Finale to the track action will be the 4 x 100 metre relay which is also on the schedule for the Ballarat and Geelong meets.

Many of Athletics Bendigo Region’s stars feature prominently in the top 100 of the Most Valuable Award.

Eaglehawk’s Cameron Smith has starred in many of the jumps and sprints events across the season to be number one in the MVA race.

Hawks’ clubmates such as Alyssa Beaton, Jorja Morrison, Shannon Storey, Cooper Richardson, Terry Hicks, Olivia Graham, Lily Marsh, Sophie Scoble, Angus McKindlay all passed the 1000-points mark in the ninth round.

Key members of South Bendigo’s line-up include Kai Norton, Joan Self, Carol Coad, Greg Hilson, Emma Berg and Oliver Muggleton.

Some of the Bendigo Harriers’ best this season have been Jake Gavriliadis, Peter Clarke, Geoff Shaw, Hailey Stubbs, Josh and Reeve Evans, Anne Buckley, and Jack Denton.

University president Ross Douglas is back after being on the sidelines for several weeks because of illness while the consistency of James Trew in the distance events is a high in Uni’s run.