2014 Victorian Mile Championships

Melbourne University’s Rawlinson Track was abuzz with activity last night with the staging of the 2014 Victorian Mile Championships, 50 pole vaulters competing in a Rare Air Club competition and the launch of Melbourne University Athletic Club’s 125th Anniversary celebrations. MUAC alumni returning to the Parkville campus and the track found a throng of activity centered around MUAC’s new Club Rooms, adjacent to the track in the Sports Centre.  Taking pride of place inside the club rooms is an honour board featuring MUAC’s Open Records, with some illustrious names and performances on display: Doubell, Lincoln, Peris, Weightman to name a few.

With a year until the MUAC 125th anniversary dinner, the club is keen to hear from alumni.  Tell us what you’re up to, your best memories of MUAC, send us some photos if you have any. We’d love to hear from you.

The competition on the Rawlinson was impressive with more than 230 entries in 22 races across the mile and 800m and 35 pole vaulters braving the brisk and swirling conditions. Madeline Lawson (Box Hill) won the Womens Pole Vault with a performance of 3.85m ahead of Melbourne Uni’s Katherine Iannello and Paris McCrathion who both cleared 3.50m. Queenslander Matt Boyd won the Mens competition clearing 4.90m, David Thomson of Box Hill and Melbourne Uni’s Ben Cook 2nd and 3rd respectively with 4.70m.

Lachlan Barber took out the Mens A 800m in 1:53.2 from Matt Bruno and Lachlan Aspinall, whilst Georgia Hansen won the Womens A 800m in 2:15.7 in front of Leah Polycarpou and Sophie Perry. Katherine Katsenevakis ran a very impressive 2:05.9 in the Mens G race. Full 800m results.

The Womens Championship Mile race was led for three laps by Melbourne University’s Amanda Paulin with the pack strung out behind her. Coreena Cleland (Deakin) and Sophie Barker (MUAC) took control with a lap to go and had a gap on the field down the back straight.  Cleland established a break on Barker on the final bend and streaked home to win in 4:46.8 with Barker second, Corrin Demeo third and Paulin fourth.

Tom Fawthorpe (Ringwood) and Adrian McLean (Nunawading) established a break early on in the Mens Championship Mile with the remainder of the field content to let them go for more than two laps.  Ryan Geard (Essendon) and Mitch Brown (Essendon) made significant moves with Geard leading the field at the bell ahead of McLean and Fawthorpe with a small gap back to Brown. Fawthorpe was not to be headed, powering down the straight to win from Brown and Geard. Full Mile results

Spectators, athletes and officials retired to the MUAC Club Rooms for presentations, refreshments and post race analysis.