THE McLennan children are cheering loud and proud from the sidelines as their parents try their best from the track.
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The Melbourne brood is in Bendigo for the Oceania Masters Athletics Championships.
Mum Laura and dad Campbell are competing in the games.
Their five children Emily, 12, Caleb, 10, Liam, 8, Hamish, 4 and Lewis, 2, are in the city to support their parents.
It has been a successful start for the sporting duo, both winning gold medals in their respective events.
Campbell, a seasoned campaigner, won gold in the 800 metres, 40-44 years.
Laura, who is competing in her first ever athletic event, won gold in the shot put, 35-39 years.
Laura said she was excited to just compete in the games.
She said she was over the moon to have won gold in her first event.
“The kids were shocked,” Laura laughed.
“They were surprised.
"I don’t think they believed that I had won gold.
“They were delighted for me and Campbell was, too.
“The kids thought the medal was pure gold.”
She said she was encouraged by her husband to start competing in athletics.
“Campbell encouraged me to give it a go,” Laura said.
“I usually go to the events to watch him compete so I thought I might as well compete.”
The duo train at the Doncaster Athletics Club twice a week.
“We get a babysitter once a week and we train together,” Campbell said.
“It does get busy to train with five kids but we tag team and make it work.”
The kids thought the medal was pure gold.
- Laura McLennan
The pair agreed they had the best cheer squad at the games.
“We support the kids with their little athletics and it is great to see them supporting us,” Campbell said.
More gold could be headed their way with the pair competing in more events in coming days.
Campbell is competing in the 1500 metres and Laura has the discus, three kilometre walk and the 1500 metres.
The nine-day Masters games has attracted more than 500 athletes from across Australia.
There are competitors from New Zealand, Fiji, Czech Republic, Cook Islands, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Nepal, United States of America and Nauru.
Athletes aged 30 and above participating in a range of track and field events across the city.
To follow all the action from the games visit the Bendigo Advertiser website.
kristen.alebakis@fairfaxmedia.com.au
