Bacchus Marsh Little Athletics Centre

The BMLAC Cross Country season kicked off last Saturday morning at Masons Lane Reserve in glorious autumn sunshine. Almost 100 athletes participated in week 1 of competition with Melton City Little Athletics Centre joining them again this season.

The morning’s competition commenced with the Under 6 athletes competing over a 500m distance. This was the athletes first taste of cross country running. The field took off quickly before stringing out, as runners tackled the challenging hill climb to the top of the reserve. Bacchus Marsh’s Jude Brody-Wall was the first boy home while Zyah Cameron from Melton crossed the finish line in 1st place for the girls.

Twenty-six athletes contested the Under 7 & 8 1km event. Melton Under 8 athlete, Fletcher Reid was a clear winner in a time of 4:11.73mins while Chayse Johnson, also from Melton, was first home for the Under 7 boys. Bacchus Marsh athletes Emmy Foley and Zara McCarthy claimed victories for the Girls Under 8 and Under 7 age groups respectively.

Twenty-nine Under 9 & 10 athletes contested the 1.5km course, which consisted of a 1km and 500m loop. Joshua Askew (BM) returned to form and took the win for the Under 10 boys. Anni Clarke (BM) once again showed her dominance over the longer distance and was a clear winner for the girls.
The Under 11 & 12 athletes raced over 2kms with 26 athletes tackling 2 laps of a 1k course. Melton’s Under 12 athlete Ella Preddy ran a well-controlled race and looks set for an outstanding season with a convincing win in a time of 8:01.06 mins.

A small field of Senior athletes completed three laps of the 1km course (3kms). In his favoured distance event, Under 16 athlete Sam White (BM) executed a well timed race, negative splitting the final lap and taking line honours. Under 14 athlete Nicholas Ibrahmin (BM) placing 2nd overall, ran his first Cross Country event, and with a couple of runs under his belt, will be looking to close the gap in the coming weeks.

This week – Cross Country meet will head to Ballan, at Caledonian Park, just near the Caravan Park in Jopling Street.