Sydney University Athletics Club (SUAC) athletes competed in Melbourne, Sydney, Hobart and New York City (NYC) over the weekend enjoying strong results in all cities.
In New York City Milly Clark was on remarkable form, finishing 11th in the NYC half marathon. Clark ran 72 minutes for the 21.1km distance finishing less than 3 minutes behind the winner Molly Huddle from the USA.
In Melbourne, SUAC took on the University of Melbourne. Windy conditions were the order of the day at the University Challenge held at the Rawlinson Track. The blustery weather was unable to deter Australian athletics oldest rivals who contested a variety of events in a friendly and competitive spirit.
SUAC were the overall winners 147, Melbourne University Athletics Club (MUAC) 116.
In the women’s 400 – Jess Stafford won with a very strong run, with Catriona Bisset fresh off a PB the night before in the 2nd place.
In the men’s 400 – the standout athlete from MUAC Matt Todd won, with SUAC’s Lachlan Bird 3rd and Mitchell Kwok 4th.
Natalie Phillips ran a season’s best in the women’s 100m, winning the event. Ben Qui flashed home over the top of Neil Song to win the men’s 100m. Mitchell Kwok placed 4th.
Larissa Stanley was home first in the women’s 800, with Olivia Dooley fighting hard to the line achieving a season’s best for 2nd.
In the men’s 800 – Matt Todd from MUAC again got the victory with Brett Hall 2nd with a season’s best, Zak Stevens 3rd, Andrew Heil 6th and Paddy Hooper 7th.
In the high Jump Relay – Becky Clark jumped a big personal best with Lachlan Bird – a season’s best which enabled SUAC to win.
Fifteen competitors from each team lined up for the Team Shot Put event. It was a spirited event where MUAC were victorious.
In the Mixed Medley Relay (200,200,400,400) Jess Stafford lead off for SUAC running a slick leg and producing a big lead for SUAC. Mitchell Kwok was 2nd increasing the lead with Catriona Bisset running a strong leg to hand the baton to Lachlan Bird who managed to hold-off the fast finishing Matt Todd from MUAC to secure the win.
Overall it was a successful night for SUAC which ended with a dinner in the club rooms hosted by MUAC. Many thanks to MUAC and their Club President Hamish Beaumont for hosting a fantastic meet.
Back in Sydney SUAC athletes competed at the Bankstown Invitational. The standout was Angus Armstrong who jumped a personal best in the Pole Vault of 5.45m breaking his own club record in the process. Other wins for SUAC athletes came from Jin Su Jung (100m), Nick Hough (110 hurdles), Gen Cowie (400 hurdles), Joe Burgess (steeplechase) and Holly Campbell (1500m).
And in Tasmania, Maddy Bergfield took out the Tasmanian Open Championship Discuss with a throw of 39.43m.
SUAC athletes will next compete at the Australian Championships starting on Sunday at Sydney Olympic Park Athletics Centre SOPAC.
