Bacchus Marsh Little Athletics

BACCHUS Marsh, Melton City, and Ballarat athletes returned to Bostock Reservoir, Ballan for week 6 of the Cross Country program.

Athletes were greeted with low cloud coverage across the reservoir and surrounds and the temperature struggled to reach 5 degrees.

All runners set off from the picnic grounds and headed north, following the reservoir foreshore, before reaching their assigned turnaround points and heading back towards the finish line.

The Open Age athletes commenced the morning competition running their allocated 3km distance over an out and back course.

Due to lower numbers, the Open Age athletes were joined by the Under 11/12 athletes this week, with these athletes only racing over an adjusted 2km course.

Nick Ibrahim claimed his first overall win for the season in the Open Age group while Joshua Askew once again led the way in the 2km event, recording his sixth consecutive win and remains undefeated so far this season.

In the Under 9/10 combined 1500m race, visiting athletes claimed the top three placings, while Emilia Ibrahim was the first home for the Bacchus Marsh centre.

Atlas Ferreira showed his determination once again and produced a great run to be the first boy home for the Marsh.

The Under 7 and 8 athletes gathered at the start line with a bunched field of 30 runners.

As always, athletes took off for the 1km race and spectators would have thought they were witnessing a 100m track sprint.

It wasn’t long before athletes settled into their comfortable pace of distance running. Hayden Tung produced a fantastically executed race, claiming maximum points in his age group while Zachary Mizzi, only a few metres behind, took 2nd place and was rewarded with a PB for his improved performance.

Meeka Booth was the Girls Under 8 winner, while Millicent Johansen and Rylan Doyle were declared the Girls and Boys Under 7 winners.

The final event for the morning saw the Under 6s complete a 500m loop, while Melton athletes claimed 1st and 2nd place overall, Mannat Kaur Deol ran a PB of 2:28.87 mins to claim victory for BMLAC.

Angad Singh Aujla was declared the winner for the centre’s Under 6 boys, also recording a PB time. Well done to Georgia LeFeuvre and Theodore Dobrilovic who both produced their best runs this season and set new PB times.

Next Saturday’s Cross Country meet will be held at St. Anne’s Winery, Myrniong.

It has been 16 years since the centre last competed at St. Anne’s, and we are certainly looking forward to returning to this venue.

The undulating terrain will be an ideal preparation for athletes competing at Brimbank Park for Region and Bundoora Park for State Championships – both similar courses to St. Anne’s.