New high score as MUAC claims 2nd in HH Hunter Shield
2017 Victorian Track and Field Championships
A strong effort across the second weekend of the Victorian Track and Field Championships saw MUAC claim 2nd place in the HH Hunter Shield, struck in memory of MUAC member and Australian 100 yards Champion Herbert Humphreys Hunter, who died in Gallipoli two weeks after landing. The club’s tally of 124 points, garnered by athletes placing in the top 8 in Open Track and Field Championships, is the highest by the club in some years and bodes well as the club strives to return the Shield to the Rawlinson.
On the second weekend medals came from canny racing by Matt Scott in the 800m. Sitting at the back of the pack with 150m to go, Scott surged down the home straight to cross the line third and get the silver medal as second Victorian. Sarah Billings collected her second medal of the Championships, winning another silver in the 800m; forsaking the early pace by Georgia Griffith, Billings came home strongly to maintain her impressive form over the two laps. Tom Baker took third in the U20 High Jump, clearing 2.02m, with Joseph Baldwin’s 2.18m for gold another Universiade qualifier for him. Joel Mason’s 1.95m got him the bronze medal and qualified him for the Australian Athletics Championships in Sydney.
A big thanks to Dave McDonald, Ben Burgess and Nick Earl for helping out with MUAC’s volunteer duties, without which the Championship would not run, Tim Thomas for helping to pack up the MUAC Members stand, and the Clyde Hotel for logistics support.