Deakin take the Mile double at Uni
2015 Victorian Mile Championships
Coreena Cleland and Brenton Rowe returned to the Rawlinson Track to add to their collection of Victorian Mile Championships on a big evening of athletics at Melbourne University. Twenty three races with more than 200 competitors featuring some of Victoria’s best middle distance talent and some high quality pole vault brought a buzz to the Rawlinson on Tuesday, 17th of February.
Rowe, having already claimed the A 800m races in a tactical affair, took the lead after a relaxed first lap, and stretched the field out. Martin Mashford, Matt Russ and Mitch Brown were ever present towards the front, along with Rowe’s Deakin team mate Nick Wightman. An second increase in pace with 600m to go saw the field string out further. Rowe and Mashford slipped away from the rest down the back straight for the last time, with Rowe too strong down the home straight, winning in 4:09.2 from MUAC’s Mashford. Mitch Brown claimed the bronze.
The Womens Championship Mile saw five athletes, Coreena Cleland, Maddison Caulfield, Claudia Verstraten, Ellen Schaef and Whitney Sharpe in a bunch early on, with a gap back to the rest of the field. Cleland, Caulfield and Verstraten came through the bell together and a strong move by Caufield down the back straight put her in the lead and gapped Verstraten. Cleland was still full of running and rounded into the home straight in full stride to surge past Caufield and take her third Victorian Mile Championship.
The medals were presented by Tony Benson, a three time Victorian Mile Champion and sub 4 minute miler. A large contingent of MUAC athletes took the opportunity to compete on their home track and came away with some fine results.
In the Pole Vault, Australian representatives Blake Lucas and Joel Pocklington both cleared season’s bests of 5:35m to top the results, with Phillipa Hajdasz winning the women’s vault with 3.80m.
Competition returns to the Rawlinson next Tuesday, 24th of February with the MUAC 5000m and Pole Vault.
| Victorian Mile Championships | ||
| Ellen Schaef | 4th | 4:57.0 |
| Martin Mashford | 2nd | 4:10.1 |
| Al Bryant Smith | 3rd, B Mile | 5:36.1 |
| Genevieve Blanch | 7th, B Mile | 5:47.0 |
| Martine Botha | 9th, B Mile | 5:55.5 |
| Kate Scarlett | 11th, B Mile | 6:02.6 |
| Nick Earl | 2nd, B Mile | 4:21.5 |
| Max Ueda | 2nd, C Mile | 4:41.1 |
| Hamish Beaumont | 5th, C Mile | 4:48.9 |
| Tim Thomas | 13th, D Mile | 5:13.0 |
| Daniel Pratt | 5th, E 800m | 1:58.6 |
| David McDonald | 2nd, G 800m | 2:01.6 |
| Peter Gaukrodger | 8th, I 800m | 2:19.7 |
| Tony Brain | 4th, K 800m | 2:40.2 |
Ladies’ PV
Pos Name Club Name Result
1 Phillipa Hajdasz Ruyton 3.80
2 Dawn Hartigan Melbourne University 3.65
3 Olivia Carah Box Hill 3.65
4 Isabelle Napier GPA 3.35
5 Jacinta Lynn Box Hill 3.35
6 Kate Abfalter Keilor St Bernards 3.20
7 Jem Gibbs Melbourne University 3.10
8 Elena Mitchell Collingwood 2.70
9 Crystal Brazilek Collingwood 2.60
10 Brigid Davis Box Hill 2.30
11 Anne-Marie McPherson Keilor St Bernards 2.15
12 Leah Wright Collingwood 2.15
13 Madelene Antypas Diamond Valley 2.15
14 Jo Jones Collingwood 2.00
15 Tamara Brown Richmond 2.00
16 Dale Masini Western Athletics 1.85
17 Katherine Iannello Melbourne University dnq
18 Tamara MANCUSO Athletics Essendon dnq
19 Cathy Mathews KSB dnq
Pos Name Club Name Result
1 Joel Pocklington Box Hill 5.35
2 Blake Lucas Box Hill 5.35
3 Adam Gaganis Collingwood 3.95
4 Ben Cook Melbourne University 3.80
5 Dalton DiMedio Box Hill 3.80
6 Stefan MANCUSO Athletics Essendon 3.65
7 Chris Boylen Collingwood 3.50
8 Tristan Gorlay Melbourne University 3.50
9 Nichilas Masini Wester Athletics 3.2
10 Brendan Dell Richmond 2.90
11 George Schillinger Box Hill 2.70
12 Sebastian Reyneke Doncaster 2.50
13 Etham Wright Collingwood 2.40
14 William Antypas Diamond Valley 2.3
15 Shane Derby Collingwood 2.30
16 Daniel Masini Western Athletics 2.30
17 Jim Poulter Doncaster 2.15
18 Chris Blair Diamond Valley 2.15
19 Flavien Basson Box Hill (FRANCE) dnq
