Setting the bar high at little aths

A YOUNG Bacchus Marsh athlete is off to compete at next month’s Australian Little Aths Championships after qualifying at state level.

But there’s some extra cause for 11-year-old Evelyn Grant to feel well pleased with herself after she became one of two Bacchus Marsh Little Athletics Centre youngsters to smash very long standing home track records recently.

Evelyn was in good form when she competed at this month’s Victorian State Track and Field Championships held at the Knox Athletics Track in Knoxfield over the March long weekend, placing second in Under 12 Javelin and third in Under 12 High Jump.

The results saw her qualify to compete in both events at the Australian Little Athletics Championships taking place in Brisbane over 12-14 April.

She was one of five young BMLAC athletes who came home with medals from the state championships alongside Myah Estlick, Tara Singh, Scarlett Borg and Henry Booth.

On Saturday 14 March, Evelyn then followed up by breaking the 26-year-old standing track record for under 12 high jump at BMLAC’s Masons Lane Reserve.

The Bacchus Marsh Primary School pupil and house captain broke the 26-year-old high jump record of 141 centimetres by five centimetres, re-setting the bar to 146 centimetres in the process.

It was one of two long-standing home track records that were broken on the day, the other being a 44-year-old record for under 15s high jump that was broken by Myah Estlick who jumped 151 centimetres to eclipse the old 150 centimetres record for her age division.

Evelyn’s mum Alli Grant said her daughter is focussing on training ahead of the national championships.

“She knows what she’s in for,” said Ms Grant who will be accompanying the 11-year-old to Brisbane to compete.

“She’s been aiming for it for a little while now.”

“It’s definitely Little Aths that’s taught her good sportsmanship and skills and where she’s made so many of her friends.”

BMLAC records and ranking officer Linda Thompson said everyone at the centre was extremely proud of Evelyn’s selection.

“We will all be cheering her on,” she said.