Young guns fire up at Lakeside

ATHLETICS Bendigo Region’s young guns will take on the state’s best at this weekend’s Athletics Victoria under-14 to 18 field and track titles.

The three-day meet at South Melbourne’s Lakeside Stadium starts on Friday evening and rolls through Saturday and Sunday.

First of Friday’s field events is at 5.30pm as track starts at 5.45pm, Saturday’s meet starts at 10am, and it’s a 9.30am start on Sunday.

Many of Bendigo Region’s young stars are likely to be in medal contention and also to qualify for the national championships to be run in Brisbane.

Bendigo Harriers bound for Lakeside include Eliza Coutts, Eliza and Reeve Evans, Jake Gavriliadis, Daniel Noden and Hailey Stubbs.

Top medal contenders for the Harriers, now celebrating their 101st year, are Gavriliadis and Stubbs in the field events.

A dual gold medallist at last month’s Victoria Country titles in Geelong, Avery McDermid from Bendigo University will race the 800, 1500 and 3000 meters.

McDermid starred in the under-16 800m and 1500m at John Landy Field on the Australia Day holiday weekend.

Clubmate Ebony Woodward will race the under-16 1500 meters.

Victoria Country’s number one club, Eaglehawk has 10 athletes on the entry lists for the state titles.

The Hawks will be represented by Rosy Marsh, Lewis McIntosh, Charlise McQueen, Jorja Morrison, Isabella Noonan, Cooper Richardson, Sophie Scoble, Amalie and Scarlett Southern, and Kate Wilson.

South Bendigo’s Jemma and Kai Norton, Chelsea and Logan Tickell, Rhys Hansen, Connor Wilson, Amber Fox, Emma Orme, Jasper Seymour, and Charlie Sullivan are in hot form.