The Christmas mile handicap Monday 23rd November 2013

Nineteen ran in the Christmas mile handicap, which may not sound like many, but it was a rainy night and thunderstorms were possible. Thanks to excellent helpers Wally Phillips, Anne Gardiner and Greg Constantine. Alexander Sinclair aged 8 won - improving by 1:23. Other than Alexander, 5 improved and won prizes. Josh Phillips and Lachlan Cooper both improved and ran the exact same time of 4:40, smashing the course record held jointly by Taiki Nakaya and Luke Gorman of 4:47. Tessa won best dressed, and you can see why in the pictures below.

Alexander Sinclair, handicap winner, with Christmassey Caroline

'The Boys' with their famous she collections. Liam Gorman, Josh Phillips, Harlen Mulherin, Dan Cooper, Lachlan Cooper, Jack Mills and Will Law. Josh and Locky are the record breakers.

Tessa Constantine - best dressed, with last year's winner Ciara Sinclair

All those who dressed up - even a little bit. At the back, Tessa Constantine and Caroline. At the front Ciara Sinclair and Torren Mulherin

 

 

NSW Sate relays 16 - 17 Nov. 2013

 

 

This proved to be a very exciting weekend of racing and we had for the first time a NSW Track Relay Champion, thanks to the Under 16 boys in the 1500m relay. We put in a whopping 12 teams - 4 girls' teams and 8 boys teams. The age groups start at under 14, so a lot of our 9, 10, 11 and 12 year olds were racing much older athletes. Overall we came away with 1 gold (under 16 boys 1500m), 2 silvers (under 14 boys A 800m and u14 girls 1500m)  and 2 bronze medals (under 18 boys 1500m and under 14 boys A 1500m). So, overall, it does look like as a club we are best at the 1500m. There was even a dads team in the 200+ 1500m on Sunday - Michael Halmy,Tony Wong, David Jagger and John Law. You can see how wet it was on Sunday in the pictures below.

 

More on that gold medal winning group. It was a very wet Sunday afternoon, Josh Phillips set off in the teeming rain in the first leg of the Under 16 Boys 4x1500 and came home first in 4.14. Fraser Mckinley and Ben Jagger kept us in touch on the second and third legs. Lachlan Cooper made up 60m on the last leg and regained the lead with just over 200m to go to claim gold. On Saturday Josh, Fraser, Lachlan and Harlan Mulherin won bronze in the under16 boys 800m.

Ben Jagger, Lachlan Cooper, Josh Phillips and Fraser McKinlay - gold in the 1500m

The Under 14 boys’ team of Liam Gorman, Will Law, Tom Davies and Kieran Gorman won a gallant silver in the 800m to go with their bronze in the 1500m. The two B teams did very well too and got some good practice.

The Under 18 boys had a mixed weekend. The team of Daniel Francken, Gus Wong, Adam Halmy and David Gardiner won bronze yesterday in the 1500m. Daniel’s 4.11 was the fastest time over 1500 this weekend. On Sunday the team of Gabe Corke, David Gardiner, Gus Wong and Adam Halmy finished 7th in a very competitive 800m relay.

Under 18s and Under 14s together. Daniel Francken, David Gardiner, Liam Gorman, Will Law, Adam Halmy, Gus Wong, Cam Gorman being carried and Tom Davies and Kieran Gorman helping carry Cam.

 

The 1500m start - Tom Davies, Tom Kirkland and Daniel Francken all on first leg.

Under 14 boys with their silver medals for the 800m: Liam Gorman, Will Law, Tom Davies and Kieran Gorman.

The Under 14 girls team of Olivia Hogg, Ciara Sinclair, Emily and Sophie Gocher won silver today in the 4x1500 relay. Sophie made up the length of the straight in the last leg from 3rd to 2nd. Her time of 5.05 was the fastest time for a girl Strider over the weekend. On Saturday the team of Sophie, Emma Kirkland, Nicola and Olivia Hogg came in a very good 7th out of 12 in the 800m relay. We also had an under 14 girls 200m team with Sophie Wickham, Amy Polikowski, Emma O'Reilly and Nicola Hogg, which did well. Our under 16 girls 400m team with Tessa Constantine, Emma O'Reilly, Amy Polikowski and Sophie Wickham put up a good fight against girls much older than them.

Sophie Gocher, Ciara Sinclair, Olivia Hogg and Emily Gocher - silver medal winners in the under 14 girls 1500m.

Sophie Wickham in the under 14 girls 200m

Tessa Constantine, the only girl who actually was a true under 16 girl in the 400m relay.

A scene from the stands on a rainy Sunday - the Hoggs.

State 3K Championships November 9th at SOPAC - spectacular results

It was an enthralling night of racing at the NSW 3000m Championship with most of us on our feet cheering on our athletes who were on the hunt for personal bests. Conditions however were far from ideal. The temperature did drop with the arrival of the cool change which also brought a gusty head wind blowing down the home straight.

Lachlan and Josh, shoe experts, superstars, friends and rivals limber up.

 First up was the Men’s H race with Michael Halmy (Bethany and Adam’s dad), David Jagger (Ben’s dad) and our president, Joe Degabrielle sporting his new spikes. Michael was first home in 11.42 while David held off our president.

 

 In the Men’s G race, Dan Cooper limped off the track mid-race through the race after injuring his hamstring. We wish him a speedy recovery, hopefully in time to run in next weekend’s State Relays. New member, 17 year old Joe Jones, in his track debut came second in 10.14.08 while 15 year old Ben Jagger ran a PB of 10.28.82 not far behind.

Left to right: Ben Jagger, Dan Cooper before he hurt his hamstring and Joe Jones

It's exciting to see your result on the board.

12 year old Tom Davies ran a personal best of 10.15.39 in the Men’s F race. Incidentally, Tom ran faster tonight than Josh Phillips when Josh was 12.



Tom Davies up with the big guys

14 year old Lachlan Cooper launched his usual late run for glory with 600m to go and finished second with a time of 9.09.33 in the Men’s D race which had most of us thinking this was going to be the fastest time of the night. Behind Lachlan, Adam Halmy ran a solid 9.38.70.

 

The start of the men's D race

 

Look at the effort: Adam Halmy and Lachlan Cooper

The series of men’s races were interrupted by the Women’s C race which was won by 12 year old Sophie Gocher on her debut in the event. Sophie took the lead in the last kilometer and came home in 11.06.06. Not far behind was another 12 year old, Olivia Hogg again in her debut finished strongly in fifth place in 11.20.10. Another 300m behind was one Caroline Yarnell, the only Senior Female Strider and the oldest female competitor in the event finished in 12.25.85.

 

The start of the C race

 

Sophie Gocher who ran 11:06:06 to win the race

Olivia Hogg has just overtaken no. 12

The men’s C race was arguably the highlight of the evening which featured 14 year old Josh Phillips, 17 year old David Gardiner, Joe Burgess who recently left us to join Sydney University and one Nick Bromley whose Little Athletics 3000m record was broken by Josh last year. The start was fast and had us spectators wondering whether the field was going to try to run 8 minutes. Like all the races that took place earlier, the field stretched out into the back straight with the wind blowing behind and came back together on the home straight in the head wind. David and Josh did everything right and covered all the breaks. Soon after 4 laps, the field began to split into packs. Josh looked the strongest and began to move through the field which had us all on our feet. Josh eventually came in eighth in a time of 9.02.10, a massive personal best and the fastest time by a Strider on the night. Not far behind, David came in 15th with a time of 9.14.81.

Soon after the start. David Gardiner is ahead of Josh Phillips

 

 


David Gardiner moving through the field

 

David Gardiner now ahead of Nick Bromley

Josh Phillips pulls away from Joe Burgess to finish in 9:02:10