MUAC delivers the goods in festive competition
Shield Round 9
Melbourne University Athletics Club finished 2010 on a strong note with a season high 34 athletes competing in Round 9 of Athletics Victoria’s Shield Competition at Aberfeldie on Saturday, 18th of December. The women of the White Train continued their impressive mid season form taking second place and consolidating their top two position on the ladder. MUAC’s Men’s Division 1 team suffered their first loss of the season, narrowly getting beaten by local rivals Athletics Essendon (results subject to confirmation by Athletics Victoria). The loss will spur the White Train on during the festive season training period in a effort to protect MUAC’s position at the top of the ladder.
Paul Kennedy, freshly shaven to avoid any Santa Clause jokes, claimed the 2000m walk in a time of 9:13.47. MUAC Summer Captain Mitch Mackenzie put his winter of strong training to good use, soaring to a new personal best of 1.96m in the high jump and ever closer to the 2 metre mark. Isabell Hartman, with her parents watching on, took first place in the javelin with a throw of 34.73 and ran a personal best in the 400m of 61. Irie Hill won the pole vault, clearing 3.60m and Jo Bromfield hopped, skipped and jumped to a win in the triple jump with a 11.48m performance. In an interesting result for household bragging rights and domestic harmony Ben Franzi (60.63) beat Carmen Deane (63.14) in the 400m despite some dubious technique out of the blocks.
With seven rounds of interclub done and five remaining, MUAC will be sending strong teams to the Shield Final and looking for impressive performances as the championship season begins. Athletes will be training hard at altitude at Falls Creek and at an intensive training camp at Melbourne University’s Rawlinson Track. The White Train will be back in action on Saturday, 8th of January at Aberfeldie.
