IT was a hot start on Friday to the three-day Flack Advisory-backed Victoria Country track and field championships in Bendigo.
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The form of many competitors matched the soaring temperature at the Latrobe University Bendigo athletics complex in Retreat Road, Flora Hill.
Hundreds of competitors are chasing gold, silver and bronze, as well as the coveted points for their clubs.
Bendigo YMCA Harriers has fielded one of the biggest squads as it attempts to go one better than last year's second placing to Athletics Chilwell.
The Harriers have won the David Kitt Memorial Trophy for being the number one men's team at the past three country championships.
Eaglehawk YMCA holds the Ex-Athletes Cup awarded to the leading women's team.
The day one program included 200m and 400m hurdles, 5000m walk, 3000m run, 5000m run, hammer throw, discus, javelin, pole vault and long jump.
Among the many highlights were the gold medal-winning performance from Bendigo Harriers' young gun Christopher Brown after a best mark of 40.56m in the discus.
Eaglehawk's Madeleine Kleyn achieved a best of 24.73m to win silver in the under-14 javelin.
Hawks' clubmate Michael Gillies-Smith clocked 29:32.59 to win the 40-plus men's 5im walk.
A great duel for the under-20 women's 5km walk ended in a win for South Coast's Stephanie George, 26:41.690, ahead of South Bendigo's Zoe Boldiston, 28:11.85.
It was an Athletics Bendigo double in the 40-plus men's hurdles as South Bendigo's Greg Hilson, 64.36, beat Eaglehawk's David Chisholm, 69.00.
There was less than a second between Connor Cudmore from Bendigo Harriers and Nicholas Milton from Wendouree at the end of the under-20 men's 400m hurdles.
Gold went to Shepparton-based Cudmore in a time of 58.03 from Milton, 58.82.
The under-14 boys' 200m hurdles was won by Bendigo Harriers Daniel Baldwin, 34.08, from clubmate Lachlan Balcke, 34.69.
The championships have drawn many competitors from Melbourne-based or South Australia to compete on an individual basis.
A highlight of Saturday's program will be the appearance of Commonwealth Games champion Eleanor Patterson in the women's open high jump.
Patterson's duel with Wendouree's Caitlin Christie and Eaglehawk's Denise Snyder will start about 11.30am.
It's free entry for spectators to the championships.
First events on the field and track on Saturday are at 9am.
Sunday's action-packed track program starts at 8am. First of the field events is at 8.30am.
