OSCA
Athletics
PLENTY TO ENTHUSE ABOUT IN ATHLETICS CLUB ’ S SUMMER SEASON
OUTSTANDING INDIVIDUAL AND RELAY TEAM PERFORMANCES
TOP : ALEX SHEARS-JONES ( YEAR 12 ) AND JAMES GEORGES (’ 15 ) FLYING AT THE START OF THE 100M DURING A CLUB MEET AT GLENHUNTLY TRACK . ABOVE , LEFT : ATHLETICS CLUB MEMBERS WHO COMPETED IN A CLUB MEET
AT ABERFELDIE ( ESSENDON ) TRACK . LEFT TO RIGHT : CONOR SULLIVAN ( YEAR 10 ), ALEX SEARS-JONES ( YEAR 12 ), ASHLEIGH ARNOLD , JAMES GEORGES (’ 15 ), LILLY TAYLOR , LACHLAN GUMLEY ( YEAR 9 ). ABOVE RIGHT : GOLD
MEDAL WINNING OPEN 4 X 800M TEAM AT LAKESIDE STADIUM : THOMAS KLUCKOW ( YEAR 12 ), ARCHIE WALLIS (’ 17 ), TOM BOWERS , RORY VIAL ( YEAR 11 )
The Old Scotch Athletics Club ’ s summer season contained some outstanding individual and relay team performances , intermingled with battling team results in the Athletics Victoria club competition .
We had a real presence at the Victorian Relay Championships in late November , winning three gold medals , a silver and a bronze . Our medley relay teams – under 16 ( Jock McWilliams , Bart Leeton ( both Year 9 ) Oliver Moore and Sam Allen ( both Year 10 )) and under 18 ( Ronghao Chen , Cooper Stanley , Alex Shears-Jones ( all Year 12 ) and Nathan Munro (’ 22 )) – both won gold medals , and our open 4x800m team ( Tom Bowers , Rory Vial ( Year 11 ), Thomas Kluckow ( Year 12 ) and Archie Wallis (’ 17 )) also saluted .
It took a mighty 1500m leg by St Stephens ’ champion Stewart McSweyn to push our open 4x1500m team ( Tom Bowers , Ed Beischer , Archie Wallis ( both ’ 17 ) and Ben Beischer (’ 19 )) back to a silver medal , and our under 18 4x800m team ( Rory Vial ( Year 11 ), Alex Shears-Jones ( Year 12 ), Nathan Munro (’ 22 ) and Harrison
Car ) claimed a bronze medal . In a curious coincidence , it was noticed that three of the mothers of our under 16 winning medley team all knew each other from their school days in Hobart .
Four of our athletes represented Victoria at the Australian All Schools Championships in December , with Harrison Car running an outstanding under 17 3000m to finish second , while Lachlan Gumley ( Year 9 – pole vault and discus ), Alex Shears-Jones ( 400m hurdles ) and Tom Roach ( Year 9 – discus and javelin ) all performed extremely well at the highest level .
We struggled to have large numbers competing in the Athletics Victoria club competition over summer , with particular gaps in jumping , hurdling and some throwing events . Our major point-scoring athletes during the season have been Vanessa Wilson and Ash Arnold among the female athletes , and Hugo Stubbs ( Year 9 ), Alex Shears-Jones ( Year 12 ) and James Georges (’ 15 ) heading the male contingent . Some of Vanessa ’ s runs have
been outstanding , with the best being a Victorian 40 + record for 1500m and winning the Open Victorian marathon championship .
At the Victorian Track and Field Under Age Championships in February , Bart Leeton claimed gold medals in the under 16 1500m and 3000m ( a Victorian under 15 record of 8min . 41.97 , as Bart was still 14 ), Lachlan Gumley came second in the under 15 pole vault , Harrison Car was third in the under 18 3000m and Tom Roach claimed silver medals in the under 17 para discus and javelin .
Over that weekend , our athletes had 10 personal best performances which is , of course , the aim at championships . With the under 20 and open championships still to be held , we already had eight Old Scotch athletes qualified to compete at the Australian Championships in Brisbane in April .
As we mourn the recent loss of Allen Morris (’ 50 ), former Old Scotch Athletics Club President , life member and high jump coach , we note the dearth of current high jumpers in the club . This is at odds with the fine tradition of champion Old Scotch jumpers – Mal Macfarlane (’ 69 ), John Knight (’ 74 ), Mike Smith (’ 79 ) and others – many of whom were coached by Allen . So anyone with a spring in their step will be most welcome in further seasons to come along and see whether they can jump over 1.50m or 1.60m or 1.80m , or higher .
The club is now into the winter season of cross country races , so if you enjoy a gallop or a trot and want to test yourself over any distance between 4km and 14km , now is the time to make contact with the club .
IAN HANDASYDE – OLD SCOTCH ATHLETICS CLUB
84 Great Scot Issue 168 – May 2023